1W»TW1 



'^^^^^^^^^♦♦♦^^^^m^t^^^viii'C.' 




SILK-CULTURE 
DIRECTORY. 



0. BARRICELl 





BY 



(ScL Eni, KdJ 




1884* 




^^^^^^•^^, 



;iLK-CULTURE DIRECTORY 



I 



SILK-GATERPILLARS DISORDER'S, 



BY 



^. MMICILM. 



(llth Edition^ the 3d in English.) 



*Ex Cathedra.* 



X.rX3 ^ 



1B84. 



CONTJSNT8. . 

(jaliieriiig the Silk C'rop^ --,.;; 

Presorvin<r the Cocoon: "' ' .|., i 

kScUiiig and Shipping "' ''^ ^ 

Butterflies, Fecundation, E^o-s. J 

Seventh Age. ^. j 

Preservation of S(M'(! " " ~ '^ I 

Conclusion ' 

Appendix 

Table. 



i^i::KMW.vTA; U^ 



6\) 



SECOA'I) PART (Diseases) ' 

: ^>> i 



INCIIUI'.LK \ 

C I^ui'^ting ■ 

} Decay '^^ ^ 

( (janiirene '/, '. > 

A\01I)Ai!LK ' ~ ' 

' Rf*d disea-e ; Alio,)!tv ,^, 

Vomit; S.il.cal.o;,'; b.arr.a '; Tvphu. \\ 

'lilack MM,ui-ue' or -cal. inatio T * " " '^ 

j Dorp^y: Jaundice -''^ ' 

Aspiiyxy ; «. uiiln^r !0{) | 

Buitcrilj...- Dlsc^ascs- " " J^^l J 

(Corolla M' •- 102 '■ 

,. (renerxl TaMes - l^*:? 

1 u;; 



illALstrai, rj.e development nffk^ 'uJ^^t;'' ^-u>KT .p:.c. 



'm^m^m m 111 Bl/l¥llfl IWfltl, 
(fhr 1st iff English.) 



'V\w u-r'.\-it(st indusirv for lioasewivc^s, girls, school girls, thrifty 
huiit^s Nvonieii in geiu'riil, seiny-inv;ilici |)eo[)le, i>oys out of schoo], 
sFuart children, teachers iii vacation, people enjoying the country, 
clergymen, and other people-*haviiig leisure time at home*, is the 

\K'T OF GR()WIX(; SILK. 

The Silk-CATERPILLAK {('(miraoiily. or after the Frencli man- 
ner^ ('ailed WORMS — in F. ''rer a sole'\ in (jerriiau ^ '• Seidenraupe' \ 
in Italian ^'hijatt/^'' c^lc.) that prodnee their highly priced textil 
material, so miicii sought after hy dignitaries and by brides, is so 

( I.HAX AND IXDUSTRIOUS THAT IT RIVALS TME BEE, AXD SO IIARM- 
! F.SS AND U»U<]I'^UL THAT, IT PROVES TO liE STPERIOR, \\\ FAR, TO THE 

'>NEY PRODUCING GREATi RE ; and of such intrinsic value that each 
10, 000 of Ihem ( occupy ipjg no more than fifteen s(|uare yards of 
surface) yield more dolhirs and cents, in 40 dtjys, than ten hens i: 
the lapse of a year, foi' : 

I'en thousand Silk-Caterpillars^ of selected ])reed and in favoura- 
ble season, will i)rodu(ie. in about forty days, silk valued at, about, 
twelve dollars, whilst te:i hons can. scarcely produce 200 eggs, ir, 
such lenght of time, Ini^dly valued two dollars a)id no more ! 

We quote the hens because, usually, they' are the means em})loyed. 
to )'aise pin money ; but it is not difficult to prove that even a cow 
produces, in forty days less than a 'brood' of Silk-Cater[)iHars. b: 
fact i/a (;()W ^/ields, in same time, 120 s>jdlons of iiiilk it brino-s into 



PREFACE. 

:he house iess than six dollars, (not either cah'ulatin;:^ th'^ cutlav 
invested for her keepiiiir) when if, siy, 20,000 of ('aterpilhirs aiT 
reared, with little trouble, small ex|)ense and in such short time, 
ohev can give over twenty dollars of profit. But *it must be hinted 
a new, that the gains on silk— growing can be obtained without giv- 
ing up other industries, without l^uyi ng fodder, without renting any 
expensive buildings— as stables etc. 'and at home'* 

Silk, mostly used by ladies, clergymen and secuhir dignitarie.-^, is 
laised, (for paMiine, in the Old Worldj practically by the same 
'Consumers and other refined and intelligent persons. Then althoAgh 
it is true that peasants grow silk there, yet they do it directed by 
5)arned leaders who take care of the Silk— Caterpillar's ^^-^^^^ in win- 
ter and spring and, then, hatch them with artificial healthful con- 
trivances. So it is a matter of fact (when such fine persons attend 
to this industry) that no hard work is needed to secure a silk-crop 
and that it affords "good retuirs ( on bir-ed uilh kic.i. ledge of 
S'alural History as well as amuscmeiit. 

Those who grow silk in the Old World are provided with family 
help, mulberry —trees and room ; but those who will grow it here 
should have airy room, osage plant s — '?iV-^ mulberry-trees, and fam- 
fh assistance — hired labor not being profitable for silk nrowini . 

Thence people who find their home-life weary — foi" need of aii\ 
occupation and are losing the profits of exercise, prac'ical studv of 
Entomology and migJit]/ dollars, could undertake to i-ear here those 
dear little pets which produce the precious material, with which arc 
woven those valuable silk-goods, so indispensable to brid(\s. 

In Italy, China, Japan and Persia Silk— Culture i^ enc) n-a/r^^d 
and protected: it being the industry of the people, at large, and :it 
the sametirae ooe of the sources for the revenues of said countries, 
it is guided and jdirected by their governments. It is -veil knuvvn. 

4 



? R ;-: ?■ A c K . 
i!<>'v-:;-{[;iv, how (he i'.iii|ircss of („ hina, presides, in tliat vast empire, 
(nrr \]ii< nios': \;ilj:i])le i)i\)diK'e, and how, early in sprlii<^, she au - 
j!fH[n( es to her subjects to prepare themselves for the approachini: 
.•^eason (/f 'cares' : it is s!so well known how on the 14 of January 
each year, in Japan is solemnly performed the r/<'<? of "washing, 
rxainininp: .'ind cleansinir (whilst they fast, pray, and saerifice to 
I heir. Gods) the eggs of the Silk — Caterpillar. But, perhaps, it in 
not yei known that, in Italy 12 years ago (1871) the governmeDt 
opened a Silk — (Ailtiu-e Direeto-y in each province of the State arid 
that by the scientific employees of said Directoriea (right under 
the vigilance of the ISIinister of Agricalture) the great Italian silk- 
crops are generally managed. 

Now if the w^ealth so eagerly sought for by other people and gov 
ernnients, the ''silk wealth" which enabled France to raise suddenly 
from the disasters of 1870, is not entitled to be protected and en- 
couraged here also, then we may just think that we are not liviru^ 
in this time of progress in which *382 silk-mils arc manufacturinc 
imported raw-silk, but in the time of ''AA) vears ago", wh«n silk 
was o:rowni here, but had no sale.* 



C, W.,:iCELU. 



S\. Louis, February 2() ,1882. 



rUBLISHFA) 
. . hy(the) 

ALLEY silk-.cult:;rh emterpr: 

HOL^EN, r.TO. 



^:i^^^.tA^t^^^^'' 



FIRST PART. 






HOW Id EEAS 



V 



t-%Ji^%^^%1.1i%*^^^^C^%^^%^^^^^U1k^%^%%%%^<Vi^^^^^-^^.j^^^^^^^^.^,^^^._^»^^,_,^^.^^, 



Iff iwecf lei f ft f Hig iMf Mi. 



J>is< 



The Hrst American edition (5000) of this Directoi'v was exahusti:,i 
I>^"f()ro its immber could he distrihutcd to nil the persons who apph. li 
^oracopy. The foremost merits of such an exceptional dema^tl 
[for a l)ook on an alinost new to[)ic] were not alone its very ch ;.r 
air(.'tions in rearin- Silk-Caterpillars, (because, althou-h tliere Is 
no Silk-Culture here, in the real meaning of the term, yet here c:.:i 
he had, at least, a dozen of pamphlets on the subject) but also [it< 
i:<x)X()MrcAL METHOD, ^y memis of which anybody coM he.jU f>> 
nvni'^ silk,^ almost wifhout expense.'^—Le. neither needhuj cnn/ raplNd 
to start 7rith, nor running ant/ risk of a loss. 

Ihivmg giyen the aboye explanation it is deemed, now, a matf< r 
of the utmost importance, to inform the Myould be silk-orowers^' 
about the followino- important iufjuiries. 
Will it pay? 
In truth : to grow silk, it is man^- times more ditHcult than t(, rai^- 
grain, corn, cattle, or poultry ; but it must be remembered that, a 1 
the farm produces are as much liable to fail (by drou-ht th,od,' in- 
sects, epizotic etc.) as are the Catorpiliars exposed to failure hy a:- 
inosferic influences, although the former are so in lesser degr(>es. Los- 
ses, of any stock, caused by carelessness and mismanagi^ment are 

•7 



P R F, FACE. 

not incntioned iu this p^iragraph !) Yet, to raise any farm crop it i:- 
waiited a large capital and a wliole year of time, whilst to grovr silk 
no capital is necessary, and only 40 days. 

How BTSLSGh? 

Silk-Culture 1)rin<rs a gre:it wealth to variou- cou!itrie^ practiclinr 
it, and sucli wealth it^ divided, rea.hy, :iinong person-^ of wlioin it is 
made mention in former preface. And so ; a family of two gro\vn 
[)ersons and three children can gain from 40 to ()0 dollars (and In- 
having a friend's helj) in tlie last o days, perliaps, $100) i:i 40 days 
— an r.mount of moii 'v whicdi could not h:; earnol by said [),v)ple in 
any other way. 

Of course, this l)usines8 is better adapted for rural [)laces, where 
the l(\ives can ])e gathered always fresh — :i thing almost iin})ossiblc 
in large cities. 

As for the silk-producing-plants [the fo;)d of Caterpillars] the 
readers are referred to the following preliminary . 

Finally ; to those who exi)ect to iind in these pages a panaccd for 
s ivhig the Silk-Ciiterplllars from their diseases and general havoc 
we say : "^"^In the lattei- part of this Directory the diagnosis of said 
disorders is describ.^d but; Scien -e has not yet found a sui\» renu^dy 
to cure the affected cap'ire Cater])illar — although researches as h.io-li 
as those on' choleia a.nd yellow fever' have been nnide I'V congress c^s 
(jf lear.ied-meu, on the maladies of the 'prccion.s' WOlOd ! >»'cver_ 
t'aeles ; S'jienc,' C^.u'hes tlr.i' '-prevention i^ b-tter than cure" and 
tiierefore it wih be insisted on ^preventive rules"*, in this book, even* 
to bid when the diseased Cacer[)illars shorld bi^ thrown av/ay (in or- 
der to prevent loss of time and expenses) rather thr.n to wait for their 
r.^eovery. With such method 'expectations', only, can be h)>t. 



e. BAr.r.iSELU. 



How tlieCaterpilhir eggs can be hjitched, and their larcas, reared 
in :i cmntry where the growing of niulberrj has scarcely began, and 
fhe notions about ^ilk-^ultare are mixed so badly, purposely or other- 
wise? Then again : Th(> ninlberry-cuttings, now ])hinted, li^w ion- 
will they stand the ine'enien^y of this cold (•lianlk^ oi when wil] till 
l)eople of this country know how to cultivate, protect, nnrsci, and 
^ trenghten this eastern 'Silk Plant?' On this point the enemies uf 
'vAnierican Silk -( ailtare'' held the ground a long while, and if It is 
Mor overcome, thc^y may triumph again. Also the speculation in 
imiiberry slips, 40 years ago. fell by itself when this eastern plarr 
I^'c::yed hero in a short while ! 

Now, without Bilk-food, presently, and with no real prospect to 
n 'quire it, in fut.ire, what is left to do in o.d.r to ^eneouraire and nr 
rrodnee' silk-growing almost evervwhere in these United States V A. 
new silk-produeing-food must be found, and proper mana-pmer=^ 
must he e3:ercised. ^^" 

A.: in regard to the management it wil] be set down in this book : 
■■' ^■;>-'_the newsilk-produ-ing-leave^. (he problem is solved with 
I'u following analysis and its explanations: 

, . /^•■'^- ^ /J.ct, 

-^-'^''^- 0.06 ^ Azo:e •; (,.. 

^^^.n^^'-'- • .In % Oxygen '. '00 

^''^'^"'' .41 I Fiber, . --. 

^''-'^'^ .28 ^ Resin. '--li 

. ., •- ' '^o ^ Sugar. -r; 

^^^^^^'- ; .08 ? W^itfr ■[() 



^^^*^ 10(i 

''''r'^ '■'^•-■■^ '^^- ^'^^^^ «f Silk-C.ti-pilkrs ; /6er s digested and 
■•i^VUr:i : racrharine matter and water noiirislies them, and the ns'i; 

9 



^h-M) with il, analysis th 

>;ive8. having less libre 
Mil, lire Riorn prcdiictivc : whiist ihev are eqiial to the miiioerri 
; i nourishing ingredients. 

J.'3^^"^'^ ^^'^ nttcntio:: •• who will rear ^ 

>a£i\'. :r]v called, because: The watery r.art oi 

1 embodied in them \iiot when mist, or rain, make.^ 
..em v.cij iicips the digestive organs of the larva to assimilate the 
:iccharinc part. This assertion is easily proved In' knowing that in 
*drv -e;\son* the Caterpillars ( for want of enougli liquid aiim?:it 
es, to be sure), often, die struck with the diseas** call ? i 
and when they eat leaves either wet on the outside 
.laigv^d with water, they are struck v%ith<//-0/;\y, f?f/ 
•jundice — special diseasag of a- -wet sea*on\ 

Now the latter, disease being very common in America, saggcst 
the thought that it is caused by dampness (with which this sti:. - 
phereis impregnated in sjn-iag, caused by the thav»i:ig of tli 
imd by bad management. Then, the longer the leaver are -^ •_, .i ■ 
to gaid dampness the more they are unwaoiesobUi '. And to avoi;) 
such it.must be borne in mind that : the re.vrixg of C\\TEi;piijLAi:> on 
>sAGE MUST BE PRACTICED ONLY EARLY IN SPRING, otherwi^ 
the leaves, becoming very sui-cnlenl. will be poisonous to th 
particulars, of course, the instructions must 1k« rcad.-'^^^;^ 
In Italv, wiiere the mulberrv— plant is under tlie hisfhest 
tion, these latter diseases are generally avoided : bur ,as dec:? 
etable matters are impregnated with '^^toin's life", so it happens 
that the Caterpillars are attacked by 7nonades, corptuich -.<. 

iiud other invisible mores which make a sad haroc among tlui.i. rii: 
•I* >tv^'> ^11 F'->nce and Italy [in fact in all j*Iuropej iv ^ '• -^^-in^ - 

10 



PRHLILIINAHV 

:: '-..J .It .va8t:i-ch7 mmadei attack t'i^ helpless auj inoffea^ix^ 
re:iriii-.>, directly, or germinate on* the mulberry lea vrs. and ) 
ais stiUe are swallowed bv them. 
The Lirtercase is admitted to be more possible. Pasteur and Ve, 
alrhoagh antagonistic in their views abont C aterpiliui-s^ di.s 
isc-> have mieroscoped vlbrwnes on mulberry-leave. .- so did Cor 
:iglia. ]5;>llani. Bonafu.. Cariet, C^avalieri, Mkestri, Dut- iau3., mair. 
:her.5 and mvself. 

Thon the disease of the Caterpiilur is iu the tre., . ,>.. the tree b. - 
iaffe;N-d, poisons them with ffanyrenous ffas:nent,,;~f—iunri t, 
-is :rio:i. () , tjis piin »iple, is it not better to eh.ng.' the C:i:erpi!- 
■/ diotV They endeavored to do so on the other side of the witc 
.d,.o:.Id n<.t do it: but this blessed land, ^hore ali iadueeutents 
V irr.iuted by mighty nature, can do it. horh for u'lolesome se- 
:d for o<-ouoniioal pursuits. 

We k:K»v that os^tare plants are free from any exti-aneus bod.,—;, 
<eet war .v. ■ nreyin- upon them— '-and we have so many o" 
•m, tha alth tjirownaway in expeeUuu laulberrr nursv- 

# woul ' f,u-, better employed if it could be put to buij' 

tares, whicit would be surely supplied with American cocoons- 
..V > from the "Am^ricm Silk Planf : a thing which Occordin- 
silk-c:ut:i:-ists, revenue-hunters with nudberry nurseries. bade-r<,- 
■;th!o« books etc. et.-. etc.) cannot happ.-n before fiftr vearrL 
aa. if the lauiberry-plauts g.-ow. and the millions of wom"-n. chi!- 
a and uon-produciag old men are all able to biiv, at hi<rhpri<e. 
berry-oattings. mulberry seed, silk -culture outfit etc.-by'whicl 
.peai-s that the outlay for st.u-tiag would cost more than the pre- 
n^v.p ,uci>me which [-after succediag"'] mieht be earned 
. 1.0-.V Sil- Cultuiv can bo really started against these, almo.- 
Dumo..v|.ss precocious spec'-dations? It is a pivy that people praising 

11 






pRELi:.'i::iARY. 
this Oinuloyiiient should niiike it ii misfortune, rather tluir. riii help, 
to li .<>;reMt majority of ''\yoakI })o sllk-g^'owers' only !)e,';iuhe those 

would-he-instructors ;lo not know the busiiu'ss in i\\\ k; lirances 
and make light of it. 

The silk-business th;it was stra'ted for ''tiu* i>oo;)le"' is [)n'scnted 
ijiow as if it should be an industrv for the gai-deiier, the scionlist and 
Ihe nianufaetnrer. It is clear that things are to])sy-tin-v'v. \\k' Inne 
!aO silk-growth, but we have inducements to reel it — a thing wh.icli 
would destroy in experiments even the little silk raised hei-e, ov at 
the utmost, allow to ])e })i()duced a f(nv coarse home-nrivlc sj Ik- 
goods. ^Ve have an unlimited supply o+' the 'Ariiei-ican silk pl;i->t\ 
ind the market is ghitted with mul])erry tj-ees. '-^Our peoph\ v.ho 
('<» !K)t ki.iow much about silk-growing, and have no means to stai'l 
; 1 tin's business, are asked to buy cabinet aj)paratus and expcnsiNc 
eiittits. Is this ^Siik-( 'ulture' or, "charity bcgirjung at hdinv^^ 'f --^ 

It is to keep down such dealings tha.t cramp and choke this .^-n at 
i^rodiue, and to increafse the wealtli of their countries, tiial oliier 
governments Inne the lead of it I 

In ortier to grow-silk, the following gene]-al rul(>s mii-r be nrae- 
t.c(Hl with cfire ; — 

I. Kear the Caterpillars economically. 

'2. Hateh the ega's when the leaxes are tltus : 



f 



^^%>... 




■•). Send thr^ cocoons to the market, })y Ex[)ress, even, 
<■-: tlicy have ])een build by the Caterpiilars. br.t do iM^t 



•: oay- 
ler.rpt- 



PRELiMINARY. 

<o -Uifh' thiMr. . (S;v3 'Coiiclusion' in end of hook.) 

4. No luoro CLitei-piliars than can be attended should be reared 
.'>. Ijav<^ repi\>Jii(;cd only enougrh eggji. to hatch yourself, and 
.i'uns' of vour :i/j]j MJitri-es, the folio'^ing year — not more. 

u. Sci! the co.^o )ns only to those who buy for -readv cash' ».fte^ 
*'V'Hoii>iiiO- the ]'eceiv(>(l jivvids. 

'Vhv ;ib(>)ve ireaern,!, a id business, rules — to. ere 1 her vviih followmK 
dii-ec-tions. ar;M3noagh to establish (almost suddenly and forever, ii, 
ihe U;]ii:ed States) Silk -Husbandry and its good-luck because, thos«- 
vviio have mulberry-trees can use their leaves to feed the Caterpi!* 
lars, and th(jse who have none of them can very well feed v/ith the lu- 
uiimerablc^ osage [hedge] plants— spread, almost, upon the wholr 
surface of the Union, and proved to be just as useful to grow silk. 
a> mulberry leaves. 

The above rules are earnestly recommended, especially l)ecaube. 
the following wrong iuformations have been given, liere, in the pasi 

1. It i; erroneous to attempt to rear, with 'two persons' Catei'- 
pillars issuing from four ounces of seed. 

2. It is II great mistake to think that, because there is not anv 
market for raw-silk in America, the would be silk-growers musi 
raise i^i^g^ — the ;b) p. et. of which could not be ')argained, even, 
for a coavse pair of garters last year and, therefore, were thrown b\ 
unpr<tt'M-;<l breeders into rivers. 

o. 1 1 is wrong to suppose (or to give to believe) that there ir- 
not \i:\y market for i-aw-silk [cocoons] here, and references will be 
given on 'Second part\ 

4. U is not true, generally, that the cocoons are sold at a dollai 
a pound ; .-ui intimation given (under the policy that the producer.- 
woiM be ;!'>t attracted with lower prices) omitting to inform the 
-^ilk-gr()we!-s that, al^out, one dollar per lb. is tiic price obtained for 

13 



ocoous -stifled Mud dri:^d"— au uver^-e of three lbs. of -f.-esh' oo- 

■oous to one of 'dry'. 

;). It is not to be recomiiK-nded [as tiiey do] to stdie and dry 
'he cocoons before sendinjz tlicin to the market because, the ^drying 

H-ocess', bein^o; even more exact and difficult than 'reeling', cannot 
•)e blindly ccnitided in new hands, and purchasers of cocoons have 
contrivances adapted for that operation, and know their business 

)etter : besides 'drying the cocoons' defers (he cash. 
6. They teach, also, that the cocoons nrast, be reeled [i. e. wound 

,ff from thecocoonsj by their producers, when now a day, large 

nanufacturies supply prompter, cheaper, and stronger articles 

—even the once home-made stockings, and whilst the reeling work 

s a very difficult operation. 

"What is the historical standing of silk?" 
Silk was grown and donned long before Solomon said, ^ [Proverbs, 
M. 22. ' because, in the next 'translation' it will be found out that 
\dam dressed himself with the roughly-carded-like shrcMids of tin' 
larvas rather than with the celebrated tig leaves. 



*She MAKF/ni hersklf covKiiiN(Js ok tai'i:>t):y : iiwu '^i.otm in<< 

s SILK AND PURPLE.* 



U 






["CilLTOiE OIICTOE 



r:.tcrpiilnrs -Micrnlly live in open air and feed eiMier on herh, 
o" on leaves-. 

Most of thoin make silk, hut the only marketable silk is produce'^ 
)>vthe7.'A.-^.^ Silk -Caterpillar, so called for the excellence and ,- 
Inmdance of its produce— as ^vell as for its domestic habits, or ii- 

door life. But although 'nian' was able to subjucatc also tbr 

(Viterpdlar, yet he did not succeed to change its natural habits- .. 
declaration easily proved l)ecause, when these 'domestic invertebn.l 
beings' are deprived of plenty of pure air, thev surely die. To l 
vcnd such a draw-back it has been tried, with good result the herei;; 
de-icribfid iiwinging 

OUTFIT TO REAR SILK-CATERPILLARS. 




I- 



riie above engrav 
driven in the ceiling 



:i.;' represents iwo rack . iuinglng from hook^ 
The racks are niade with v. forked line ['clothes 
1/) 



GEMERAL INSTRUCTION. 

line will do well'] and cross-rods much like the liaudlo of it broom ; 
these rods are tied to the lines jibout 15 inches tibovc each other 
:j.iid should be nearly 40 inches in length. The lines, which nmst be 
j,s long as required by the height of the ceiling, are knotted belovv 
^he forking (as shown in the cut) and hung to place in due time. 




The above sketch shows a shelf upon which Silk-Caterpillars 
•five kept — the little creatures never budging from any place when- 
they may be situated. Now to make such shelves, either *drv' 
c.anes, long straight 'dry' branches etc., or lattice laths about two 
yards in length can be used. With any of the above materials every 
person can have the ingenuity of building these *'airy shelves" tie- 
ing one in. apart, with twine, either the reeds or the slats etc.. 
Shelves like the above, after having been finished, look verv much 
.•similar to the slats of a spring bed, except that the slats of these 
shelve? are verv much narrower. 



M 



Tkis last engraving denote, the "swinging shelves'" set up for 

16 



CATERPILLARS^ OUTFIT, 

iise. Then, after that iln^ racks [or r>helfs holders j huve betn put t.: 
place the lattice-like ; holves aro laid 0:1 the roi^ and tLCcI to thestj 
and tlie lines. 

Another way to ni ike th:! sheh^es is by u-^eiu^ diiildui^ papc:- 
whicli. :ifter having been cut to desired le;io:th is framed and hei 1 
betvfeen two strips (>f lumber, which form ;t kind uf a double 
frame. The framing slips, or slats, need not be heav^ as they sua i 
lay on the holders of the racks. 

Four, or more tiers hung one a-bove another, as in the drawing: 
form a C aterpillars' swinyer. With a 'swinger' of more tliMn foui 
tiers a step-stool nuist be used because, '^the bottom shelf shouic^ 
be at not less than from 20 to 24 inches fron) the floor''. 

One 'swinger' with fiVe shelves [or hurdles] about 3(ix72 inche: 
can accommodate nearly 6000 Caterpillars; therefore people havin;. 
other facilities for 'rearing' should prepare in winter 7 swinf/er:^. 
Kir^'^'^^^se Swingers should cost nothing, or very little. 

(The outfit after the services rendered, the iirst time, vm\ b^^ 
«' isily, stored away to be used in other years. ) 

Seven 'swingers' should occupy a room lNx20 and 8 ft. hi<xh 
they should be hung in such a way that attendants may circulat< 
through th^em freely. 

Next to the "airy shelves" Caterpil]ar-!;reede3's must have 0:1 banc: 
some rieiv straw-paper to cover the hurdles : on this paper la)-- th* 
larvas eating almost always ; on this ai-couiit the paper must be ab-. 
solutely clean and free from any odor or greasy matters. Ii is in- 
sisted on this subject because a great miiuy insuccesses are causee 
by rearing them on poisonous beds. I'he p.iper to be used is the 
commo]' grocery paper : 75 cents worth of such is enous-h to se.-y^ 

17 



CATERPILLARS' OUTFIT. 
: 0,000 ('aU'vpillaro. 

At least oiu' thinl of >a:il quaiililv of ^Ivaw-papcr iiiusl be pl-rced 
bv holes cut into ':i at about live eights of an inch fi-oni eaeh 
other. This jx^^foi-ated i)a[)er is iH-.Mled for veiuoviii-- th;' hirvas 
fmin their litters. It is very ea^-iy prepared 1)V puncliing iu the 
paper with an diobow i)nneh' and a -wad (aittei'. The |)aper perf(U'- 
.ited with the 'pnneir is used, ci enur^e, when Ib.e ('alerpil!ai's an- 
vouni!:, that pcn-foratrd with the -c itter' is used wlu-n they an' fulL 

.-ryown UQVcv beiniT safe to toacli the C'atei-riilars withcuil hur!- 

hig theni. To eut the p:i[».'r ea-ily it should 1)^' rah^il lirsl. ^df in 
your family arc u )' u^:rl nu'.^r 'p Di'h' U')r ^nittci-' u>- \ou!- 
oen-knife or a pair of scissors, and make l;oles in tlu^ paper ii be- 

iv^ not strictly neeessaav to )jc [)artieular in making round hou'.> 

■md other 'ireneral sugii'estions".* 

SKETCH OF PEin^^OTJATFd) PAPER. 



a^thi- 



^&:w^ 



^SP 






»«>;5S» .cS_«'-:>. >-i i4',«Jtt'*!£i:ajriJ)W"Vi-*--.^s»' 






The Caterpillars ca:i bo removed from their litters al<(^ by mean ; 
<.d-* 'shoots' (as exphr.ned in the article on chanc^inc; ) hut the u. e 
of perforated pap 'r fa -iHtiites the operation. 

So, also, these most useful creatures can be reared on any other 
\mtrivance unlike the described 'swinging shelves' but, tliese l)ring 
the Caterpillars nearer to their natural life 



It shoidd be, positively, remembered that all the fefi- needs to 

18 



:^PACS, AND GOCOOMKir;. 
rear the Caterpillars inust he prepared before that the time of 

)iatehiii,<x their c<r<rs is at hand, otherwise eonfusioii sets in, and t"he 
art sliali not run smooth. 

* 
( Felt i)a})er, i.e. building paper, eosis aboiit 3 cts. a yard : so, on^^ 

sjielf eoi[ld cost, no more than, eight or ten cents. Frames interwove* 

with thill ^vire [set at, about, tw^o inches apart] ean be also used, bir 

ihesiN as well as any other shelfing, must have, ahvays, the rerjuire'] 

surfa.e(» for reai'ing a stated nuni))er of Caterpillars, and must b - 

covered, also, by the straw-papi^r needed for removing the litters). 

Silk-Caterpillars coming out from one ounce of eggs require, ai 

Uydst^ fort 1/ six square yards of space. Therefore : Xuy clean and 

airy liay shed, bai-n, unoccupied stable, granary, house-room, o 
any other empty building, or room, about l.Sx20 and <s or 10 fee: 
high can be arranged with six swingers, holding four ^airy shelve-, 
one above another, or with five ^s wingers' of live shelves each — ii 
IxMug all the space required to rear about thirty eight th(;usand Cal- 
er})illars, or tlie issue of one omice of eggs. 






This cut shows one side of a cocoonery-room with swingers ready 
for use. Four 'swingers', hung from the ceiling and two feot from 
the floor, are seen by the short side, and live 'passageways' : then 
four 'swingers, occupy 12 ft., the three middle openings () feet, 
the two at the sides 2 ft., and all the room is 20 s(]. ft. Now four 
swingers put as the above would contaiii a shelling surface of, only, 

ly 





CONDITIOH OF LEAVKS. 

40 s juuro yards ; therefore to rear, about, 38,000 Caterpillars, 

.'uiotlier swiii<2:er should be added, leno-fhwise, in the room. 

* * 
* 

It must be known thjit the atoms, or microscopic beings,' are sup- 
: K)sed to be' the greatest enemies of Caterpinar8.( It is a theory 
vhich we will comfute when we speak of the Caterpilhirs' diseases, 
rat wliich we follow forpreveiition sake-the WORM being so preci- 
ous. ) These 'atoms* live^on decayed vcgeta])le matter, and all othei 
, natter ; therefore it is extremely dangerous to have these Cater- 
•)illars near stables, hen-hoiues, piggeries, dLinghills, manure and 
fhe like : it is also unwise to keep them too long on their litters, be- 
(>ause if the 'animalcules' engender in tlie latter they, the 'am'mnl- 
',ules', will pray, without avail, on the former. 

i >esides a 'cocoonery' prepared inexpensively, healthy, and han<]y 

with alreadv given hints, breeders should have a place wherein 

■ -aves, for fodder, should i)e kept on hand. 

* 
The Caterpillars nmst be fed daily (as shall be taught in -Special 

iistruction', and can be seen in Table on end of 'First Part' ) sev- 

ei-al times ; but they want [osage or cultivated mulberry, of course ! ) 

•aves absolutely fresh, yet, neitlier damp nor warmed l>y llie sun, 

r in any way fermented. 
The leaves will ))ecome ovei- heated a.nd euteu' into fermeutaliou 
.vhen tliey are j)icked and, then, "pounded into the bags' [for (jafhrr- 
:.n.ij leaves'] as well as when they are kept, 'even two or thi-ee houi's, 
:u a high heap*. To avoid su<'li troul)les, tlien, and to liav(^ leaves 
ill a wholesome state for the Cat<'rpillars, silk-growers must ha\(' a 

*]ace, })roprerly, adapted to preserve the leaves. A di'v cellar or a 
li)>arn ,a wood— shed void of otiors. well venVilatcMl, but not op<'ii to 



CONDITION OF LEAVES, CONT.NLJiD. 
r»in, dampues, wind or the rays of the sau is suitable. 

When a small quantity of leaves is wanted pick them in a basket ,, 
but when the Cater[)iUars are grown they use a great many of then, 
and then the leaves mu-^t be either carried in a bag, made of loosr 

canvass or netting, or nuist be picked, from their shootb. by th( 

children at home, after that they have been trimmed from the hedge- 
and carried there r)y stronger people. 

The last pains are important, only, in the last ten or fifteen day.- 
])recedino' the silk-product, and should be taken oiil}^ by families rear- 
ins: the issue from one ounce of Silk-Caterpillars eggs. 

In order to have leaves fresh — but not damp, they should b.- 
(X)llected in the morning (after the sun is very high up and the fog 
is disappeared) for the afternoon, and, then, near sunset should be 
picked those needed in the next morning. 
iJ^^^^Beware of damp orfirmented leaves, beivaref 

Breeders having a supply of leaves cannot fear foggy or rain\ 
weather; because they can wait for the leaves to dry on the tree^ 
before to gather them anew. But, again, the reserve leaves must be 
kept in ;> cool light place and on boards, at least, one foot fron 
the iioor — otherwise they may be spoiled. 

Those who have no leaves in rainy weather should not feed too 
soon when it. clears, because the surplus water not having yet evap- 
orated, would affect the Caterpillars just the sa:n3 as if the leaves 
should be wet on the outside. 

Althouijh in the last age the Caterpillars must be fed without in- 
terruptions, yet before that time, especiall}^ in rainy weather, they 
can fast a while if the provision of leaver' is all used up : but this case 
should very seldom happen if a good supply of leaves is kept on 
hand. Indeed, it is not bad to have one 'or two' days provisimi stored 
in a fresh-dry place, as it has been said befor.^ provided that they 

21 



CONDITION OF LEAVES, GONTIHII^D. 

are not more i!i;iii ;i foot dee}) iind "not packeji down", to prevent 
wliich ihcv should be, irentlv, shaken two or three time;^ ii dav. 



* * 
* 



Our system of Silk-Culture is bused on rearing the Caterpillars 
only, after the "spring rains" are over,, and on trying to accoin- 
inodate them with thoir natural choices in orde/ to avoid too much 
tL-o.i'>le a'vJ insu:-.^ a better su '.',jss \v\th rh,; -a ; but if the May fih()u,eri^ 
last too niar.y days, or if the leaves bj^onie wet by :iiiy othei storm 
and the good ones have run short, then the dam}) one.-- '-must be re- 
coverd" before bein.g given to the C.iterpillars. 



This is done by {)utting the w^et leav's o\\ a "clean tloor, or dry 
boards, moving lifting and changing them, with a pitch-fork [or 
something alike] from place to plac3 until they arc no more damp : 
then, after a short w^hile, they can b3 served to the Caterpillars. 

This eva[)orating operation can be performed either in open air or 
inside of the house with open windows —never mind to do it "near 
a big flame"' as somebody else says, b^ -ause it wilts them. 

Another way to atta'n the same, consists in shakinji- the wet 
leaves in •()i)eir sheets. 

It ha been spoke. i often in tliis ^^jeneral Instruction" ab(»ut the 
Caterpillars' Outfit and on the necessity of having good fresh 
J,EAVE8, becRUse these are two of the three most impoahant requi- 
sites to rear Silk-Caterpillars successfully — the third one being [as 
in everything else] "cleanliness". 

By "cleanliness", in this case, is ment "jn-otection" to the Cat- 
erpillars against decuyed-life (that is, the animalcules eiigendered 
with it) and moisture — both of which take hold of the litters when 
loo hold, and cause diseases among the Cateri)illars. It is then very 



<JOCOOH :^, NUWERATICM <)V KC-GS, SHRUBS^ ^iC. 
importanl lo t:ike awiiy tlie 'littors' I thMl is, 'refuse of leaves etc', j 
from the ( 'atei-pillars, which is done as in ^Special Jiistriietioii'. 

When the hirvax hav(i reached thi* tim ' to transform themselve-; 
into butterflies, they enshroud their bodies in cocoons. 

Tliey form their shrouds, or cocoons, bv putting- to^'ether, wit.h 
HuMr six 'sj)inning fingers' (oi- fo'-e-leo-s-situated btdow their mouth ) 
in a ::i(/::fi<i shape, the resinous matter of the leaves, ])y them 
transformed in solid and flexible silk. 

Now at that time the Cater[)iilai-s n^i^ii some 'drv' shrub on which 
they climb and spin their cocoons; therefore silk-o-owers shoiil-^ 
cut, in autumn oi' early in spring and dvy in the sun , either some 
heath, or some eotton-brush, buck-brush, seed-mustard, raii'-werd 
etc. : any of which, if dry will answer to supply the need. Jf none 
of these shrul)y-plants has been prepared, hay or wood-shavings cai; 
be used. How to employ them it is said later on. 

* 
The standard numeration for Silk-Caterpillars is based on th' 

weight of one ounce of (jood Caterpillars -eggs. Each ounce of then; 
numl)ers 'in general' about fokty tiiousaxd eg(;s. Allowimr an un- 
avoidable loss in hatching, and through the rearing term, good 
breeders sJioudd bring througJi froin tlilrfij six lo tliirftj nine thousand 
and nine Jinndred Vaterpillars. 



EZ2^^^^^^' person can attend to Caterpillars issuing from one o/. 
of eggs ''only for about eight days ( !)' rafter that more help is re- 
quired. Two persons are able to rear ten thousand C'aterp; liars : 

three pei'soiis can rear twenty thousand : four, al)out thirtv 

thousand ; five persons can mind fr(»m thirty six to forty thou- 
sand of them. For quantity of food, meals, management and (Jtlie- 

23 



s:. a:.l tra\3, mettikg, <^c. 
iirecta)!)^ it i.s rcfcrc i oitlier to the 8yn()])ti(':il Tal^U' or to thv. fol- 
;(>wii"iir articles 



* * 
* 



Besides all the said ^outtit', ('ater|)il]ars~l)i-eeders should niakr 
vlnee or four frcn/s^ as large ;is a sjieet of straw ])aper, the\- hciuLr 
!j>ed to remove tlu' litters. 



*- * 



No more tluni tlu' above picpai-ations are recjiiired to rear, tVoin. 
lliirty six, to, fc>rty thousand C'aterj)illars — the 'dsolatiMi swiiio-jui:' 
-ipparatus" sa\inii- them frniu thr annoyanees ar»d ra^•aLi■es of ants 
»"oek-roaehes. mice, and the like: hut to protect IIkmu from uii:<^--- 
ed iosects (especially if l)ee-in\(\^ and wasp-uests are not \vv\ far 
from the coc()Oiie]-y-room ) it is iMM'cssai-y to have niosciuit<» n<'ttin^- 
('11 all the o[)enin<i"s. 



.^UCiiJ^^)^^^,))),, 



•2\ 



f?i:^e>l^|5 'I .jv! $mv^G'H'&-^. 



.--» . T(> ':. er-. a^ 



L—TBrnPERATiJIRE AmDyENTkLATlQH. 

'['he cconomiciiJ au-.l healthfrJl Silk -(Miluiro Sy,stpr)i -^lowii in tlii>- 
ir*'u.tj«e, relies wn^vv on })ractj«"al cares IIkiu ou entoiaolop^ical obsor 
v:'.li(tii.s ; therefoT'c it has not yet been inentioued, herein, any 'spec 
iilativ(i' application — supposed to bo De^^ded iji taking care of Silk 
('atcrpillars. And, indeed, it should luive been superfluous to do so 
[)ecau8e /SiUc-CuUure does not at all signify the pursuit i^f th<> rea: 
savant who incases for observation an 'htmelitra' or an entire Melo 
lonta, OVA PapiJio ynachaou with its ycti'MYvAi' cephalo-theca and. . .ex 
case me, gentle readers, 1 was dal)b'dag mv bvgoue knowhidge o' 
Zoolog}' with the purely industrious no}}le art of silk growing, litit.. 

Of course, it is known that a thermometer kept in a cocoouer^ 
suggests the different degrees of heat, which make.- the Caterpilhir-* 
more or less hungry ; but it must be known, also, that when th* 
CaterpMllars are hungry they should have more food. In such occur- 
rence the thermometer, by itself, does not help nuich in iriiigini; 
the hir Vie through, bat it is n?-jessa.-y to regalate taeii;;ti. i.n th 
hatching room, [see hatching] when their eggs are incilK/cd arti 
ticially — which needs extra expense and knowledge. 

About ''ventilation'' these golden liints are given : i^-.- ;ii ■ outside- 
air circulate freely in the cocoonery, especially in th:) .i^hts and 

2b^ 



TE:/;PERATUR:^, <':■ '.■ ;-.::t:; AT ^ON. 
days in which t\v^ .lir is-saitry'. la Uu^<e bacb suffocating days' the 
Stoiv^/ers \\ill lielp Yevy nmch tlu^ C'as., for; by moving the form- 
er, vvhen fcedina' is going on,* [and in other car(\s] the hitter will be 
i2:rcat]y "^'clieved from the stagna;i1 :ilmosphere. 

It is a wrong idea to think that by ch)sing windows and doors one 
•an ^hut oat the heat : the fact bcMiig that tlie life-eat is shut out, 
■.)i]t *^the hot stifiiing air is shut in". Therefore doors, windovfs, 
sir-hok's, slvy-]'glits and any other opening must be ke[)t, in such 
•veather, alwa\s wide' open — excejjf if sun, rain, or ^tiong wind piv- 
•/ail, in which case they nuist be kept Jijar. 

Then ; in stormy weather, or if the ray.- of ihe sun slioiild strike 
he riiost usef n.l hirvas these little almost -'molioniess and helpK'Ss" 
^H^ings should be protected by half shutting tlie apriiures wherefrom 
he sun rays, the rain, a MU)rlherner* ov h\\'\\ storm can com(> in : 
set said openings should be shut u]), only enough to save the (Cat- 
erpillars [which otherwise '>ou-ld not nu)ve al)out and protect theni- 
■ielvrs] and when the dang(?- is over they should be wide o])en again, 
c^^resh air is tin* tirst necessity foi- larv^e(as \vi* will iind on dissecting 
one of them), thence 'though it is vahiable to shelt(M' tliem fi(im at- 
•nosph(U'ical pheiiomenthi f distuibancesj yet it i-^ alwMVN (-alamilous 
■o kee|) them locked up. 

The celebrat(?d chemists ivi'gnault and Keisrt ha\e foimd that (h«' 
Silk--('at(U'j)illars in lu'eathiiig !nuke use of a> mucii (rxy^j^v.n [ iv,- jifr 
:)art of the nirj as an (»x. or a hor.-M', ///' cvfn .'rcif/U' .' that is, taken 
:'Xce|>tions of their different natural siz(^ ; but it snu-l i)c also ujkJ'.'i- 
-tood that in summei* an ox ,or a horse, wouhJ not liv<' in a stal^l'' 

s'liieh ]■< not large enough to oontr.in tifleen ui twenty tin;es more. 

the volunje of U^eif l)o lies. 
The ab'.tV(^ jiarau'raph iplaii)]} slurvv-^ i hat to rear t(>o many Catci-- 

)ilt;irs ill one roo!]!, or on ojh^ >h»'if ]< rathi-r agaiiA-t. than in favor 



?:• ;perat:jr -, v^^intilation, & fooi>. 
of tl.Mjir breathing plenty o'C. pu^^ air. Whichever niiirlit l)e tho. 
place for Silk-Cjitorpilhirs let it l>e well ventilated, clean, and free 
from ol)n()xious odors : admit till possible h'<rhthut avoid the ra_ys of 
the snn. and vvben ihcy are fall iXvo\yn admit all the possible air 
and sbieb.ca* them from tii(^. wind. 

With the :d)ove treatmer.t the C^iterpiUar.s have }>iire air and Nat- 
ur,';] (.utside lem|,)eratnre. Now this should be alwavy even ' 
'Therefore, vriieii the bMnperatnre is 'Hoo high," give to the Cater 
[)iHr!rs fresbi h-aves oflpjier iiud it will lower, and when it is ^'too 
hnv," sapply Ic^x leaves to attain the n-vei'^e of it. [See '''Distri- 
t)u[i(U! of Meals/ '] 

II. S 

FOO!D„ 

Silk-Caterpillars, like nil other Caterpillars, feed on a ])a:'tleular 
kind of leaves, which does not agree with the taste of the others. 

Until lately Silk-Cati^rpillars lived only on mulberry leaves, but 
not rdl kind of such leaves were v/no^e ome for th-^m, for: if the 
mnlljorry-ti'ces were uot highly cultivated (by gr.; fling, pruning, 
manuring with vegetable j-efuse, etc.) they either decayed or killed 
tlu^ Cateripillai's. Now it is useless to spe:dv here :'.')out this kind 
of foixl abnost so rare in Anun'ica that with it woni^* n(>t ])e reareei 
Caterp.illars enough to eJlow one silk ^Mtow" to ea< '. of our genth: 
sex ! Therefore v.e will speak of :nK)ther kind of i\)od, which i- 
ju:-t as good if not better, (because more whoU-.oiue) tbnn die 
mid berry leaves. 

This food has been already hinted to the lovers of Silk-rulture, 
aud is the osa^/e orange leaver. As they are so widely ;r.ne\vn here^ 
in the west and south-west, we do not describe th(M:n. ;' \h^M we <rave 
already their chemical value) but we will tell o ;il\ :r; 'ei-- article 
what should be the properties of good fodder for Sd^: •: ' ■.! isoiUarSs 

'0 7 



FOOD— co::v:;^l;ed. 
and :() ;:;;;i;';s will iiii^rc poiiitedh^ see, that alth()U!:i:i! the osage 
leavc-s :irr h-jvd io be collected, yet, they beat the eu:si!y gathered 
aiidbeiTN -] ;; v's iii oiher re([iii; ite:^ .vhich in the latter must be ob- 
served but ill the former are not needed. 

Good food for 8ilk-Cateri)il];'.rs ('r<sage or mulberry) must liaye 
the following |)ro})enies. 

First : I i riiiist be good, viz : ' i must be of a "deep green," with 
dosed, siiiniiig iiber, and must b(^ ijroduced from lie^dtliy and rank' 
plants — wo I'jive ah'eady said th;;t the life of the tree is the hfe of 
the Caterpilhir. 

Second : Tiiey must be neitlser wet nor damp, decayed, yedow- 
Ish, ov wi(h rust-like spots, mildew, overheated, t^-c., &c. 

Tliiin : 'the Cjis. sliould 1 e fed through all their life, possibly, 
;:dway> v»ith the same kind of leaves — a plaii: impossibility when 
tlie following is pondered. 

Tlien here below we put the different varieties belonging to one 
speeie, {Bornbyx mows) : 3-l)ndfi Albay Millkaiilus, JVigra, Ihis- 
^ian.j 0/1/ na^ Japponkas Fillipp^^ie, etc., e c, and find dircetly tliat, 
as high eiviiization has been tain [jering on the natural rights of the 
uiimal kingdom, so it ]ja.s also done on the proclivities of tlie 
/egetable one. No wonder if th*> Silk-Cas. are stru -k with terribh; 
md destructive epidcvmics. V/liai it i-- pur[)()rl:od to Icivo l>eon a 
•7.'/ii76'-6e/';'y-produeing-mnlI)erry-tree has b.^Mnnc riow clianged by 
speculators in rofie. dark^ blacky pviplf-:, .'(lor. cr live I » ) lies pic..- 
dueing mulberries, In- grafting over and over again. .Xnd to be 
short, the properties that wore found in the mulberrv trees, liave. 
been lost or have become poisonous and :ii-e ag'dn>t the Silk-C.'a'r. 
We. c[iu see h^-^w vomixicA is vhe liber of tlie osage leaves, but we can 
only see how optn is tha,t of fhe ni-nberry. How ('an it jje told, 
tlioji, that the mulbei'iy heaves are mo/e w!u>!e-;ioine and als'* more 

28 



DIS7P. IBo'i'ION OF r.lL'ALG. 

piodiKifivc. "W'iiolesome !... filled with vibrio, ^h, fai}f/o.sidit.'f, ani- 
ntcilcuIeA,^ mirroscd^u'iii. i'<ri'(h'<iiw, etc., etc. Prodiu'tivo !., . full oi 
holes. pi[Ks, isK'siu'v. and watei* reservoir;-:. 

After the iibove fart> te? .niu'.-eryniers we sav : Stick tr> one vari- 
ty (if iiiulberrv and hcitter it with approved eultivatioii, and then, 
withisi fit't}^ yi'ars, this ^ast counti*}', Tjorhaps, will pT-odiice maeb 
silk froMi inulheiTv-treeh^. But to Caterpillar breeders, we add. 
ratiier tha») to wait Hfiv years, go ahead now with your Araericari 
silk-})lant, which, does not need to be selected before you feed, 
which never becomes yellow or covered with "rust spots" or 
'^sweets,'* and is avoided hy all other insects jind atoins. 

To young Caterpillars must be given J'oung leaves not quite 
d(;eply green ; to grown ('aterpilhirs must be given older leaves and 
of deeper color. 

This management is not hard to accninplish, when it is consid- 
ered that the Cater[)illa.r's eggs are |)ut to hatch about ten davs 
after the trees have commenced buddhig. [See Hatching.] 

The damper the season ( if the eggs a.re hatched too early or if 
"the seascn is late") the moie it is necessury that the leaves must 
be thoroughly //^^s7^ cnid dry ! Thcicfore they must not ue (jath- 
EUED bp:foue sunshine oil AFTER SLNSET, cspcciallv when dew or 
fog make them damp. We have already told how to evaporate 
them when they are wet by show(^rs. 

III. 

DISTRIBUTIOi^ OF MEALS. 

As a rule *the Cateri)illars should receive f^tt^ndif liriid ineah 

which should be repeated as soon as they Jire eaten.* But as it is, 
of no use to give a rule, which will not be observed, vvc sav : it i^ 
absolutely necessary to give at least six meals a day, at about the 
following times : The first at sunrise — () a. m., or thereal)Out ; the 

29 



r:STR':BurioK o;- :.: ;.. . . 
secoiu; urr ast— 9 a. m. ; the third before ii()o:i~ll a. lii. ; 

-^^ ^^'^^^''^' ■ oon— .2 p. in., the iltth befoi'o sinisi^t— 1> p. m. ; 

ih(? sixth bc'forv >-et,iriDg--10 p. m. 

''When the Caterpillars an^v oung riiev must Iiave one single 
layer of leave;? f^)'r their ineal.'' 

^'^^'^ P'^^ '^ -' - 'ii> h'aves, one after an(jrlu)r, and if they devour 
•hem hi onc-iinlf of an hour, feed again. 

/SVdc/t/y Ferdhuy give^ a little more tronbl.^ hut as it shortens the 
^ife of tlu^ (^aierpillais, it is to be far niore r(>eommended. • In 
taet, when the Caterpillars live loss time, Ihey are less liable to get 
diseas-d. On tiijs verv point ^! the Old World, ihev rear the Cat- 
^rpilhuN by n.eans of arfificml heat, the contrivance-, to obtain 
which, .^re expensive and difficult. But in this connti'v where rhe 
^umtne]- heat sets in [>efore the vegetation has attained its full 
-Cn>vnh, it will not be dilricult lo obtain .-nough heat for the (\iter- 
■'ilhu-s wluMi the^e come forth, at about the latter part cd' April, 
^n ihi. ease, if 1 hey aie fed :;nd well cared after, they wilUpin 
•lunr eoeoo.is ii, about thii'ly -eight days. Therefore. ssVa^^ the 
■vcMlher i^ vei-v warm, the Caterpillars should be fed UgliUir ^x^<^ 
^ft^n.'n^. and. when the nights are also verv warm, then an extra feed 
should he given to thorn late in the evenii «:. ( 12 ]>. m. ). 

i^nnn th(^ above ii appears thai: the Caterpillars u r jes. leav 's 
'•'^^^^ it is <•()(>] than when it is wnrai, but they use the sa i : q i n- 
% during their existence anyhow. i>:>caa^o uhe:i iyv^l tiiov live 
ong,.r. ■\'\M^ leav,-. must be distribute i alwavs cv^^-Vy at i.-x-^A feed. 
^ecaM«_' otherwise some CaLerpillars \rA ]>e dr>uj, and as the^ -row 
udTiM morespaee. so in pr-^poriiou ^.--t b,; increased the qua ;ritv „f 



30 



....... ,0... di.tnbutea. ^ESn<«s;;'tl VK.V. win ... founa 

„;., .„.,.;., .rticle edited for each .gc of the Caterp.Uav. 

IV. 
ATTENDANTS. 
0„. ,....»<. ean attend to Caterpilhu's issuing fron> one ounce o^ 
,„„., . ,,1, „„f,, the seeond mmat ; after that period it ,s needed an- 
3;: :/togathe. the leave, and at the la.t age (after tne 

lh..WO. at h.t,two other person, are neeessary to eollee. 
;;;;;: ^,^,., j,„„,,, ,0 m-ing then. hon. and help al.onVehang,n. 

the littrrs, prop^irin-- the cotta-es, &e. 

r^.The oriaina, Japanese breed are rather h..,y n. ehnd.u.g «, 

,h;:;-::.tta.e. and son.et,ime. would .pin then eocoons an.ong.t the 

Lr. therehv depreeiating their (the <.o..oon.) value, taerefo e 

;;":;;., hand-sh,>ald be re,uired to^.s-A them to the eottage. ..h 

the means shou-ii hereafter. 

PiSlf Ifl CAllS its AIL A€;-18. 

Good food, pure air, nuu.h space and perfeet cleanliness e.nnoi 
„e Leful if Caterpidar breeders do not know the folU.vn.g part.c- 

"T^T, . O..KUA. WAV. S,.K-CATK.r.n..AU BuKKO.HS TJ^BM 

WE... T>MB K.M.... nKTWBE. BACH -mov.t' of the Catcrpdh.r 
.;,, .earing of which we will now consider in- the foliown.g d.s.nct 
articles : 

CaterpUlnrs Mori/r (that is, ./.er?, or c/.an^., the.r^ al.iost mMs- 
ib^e sH/i ) four times duriniJ; their shoit life. 

Wh!n tlev reach each ti.ne of MO...sa they loose th.ir appeute 
,„, „,:„,„ o;e:- the leaves, without eating then,, where v„ey take an 

31 



MOULTING, CONTINUED. 

;ili;iost upright position with the fore-part of then* body, as will b(3 
.shown liereiu witli cuts 

For a (Imv or more jn-io^' to each change, the laj-va (J) seems 
!;in^»'ni(l, refuses food, k)osc.s its beautiful pearl-white coh)r, and 
undergoes this important change. 

Fastening itself by its legs to the surface on which it standi, it 
twists and contorts the fore-part of the body until t!ie skin splits 
.-ilonijc the l.)ack, and by progressive contortions and motioas it 
withdraws the whole body through this rent. 

The skin, when cast, is often so entire that it may be mistidvCK 
for tlie larva itself. 

After each 'moult' the lar\a appears weak and languid ji rain, 
vvhile the whole body is extremely soft, and is very wet. A f(^w 
hours' exposure to the air, lowever, gives tenseness to tlu^ mem- 
branes, and it soon l)eg!ns dovoai-ing its food with a gr.'aier appetite 
tluin ever. 

Altliough the body of the Si.k-Caterpillar increases in size fi'om 
day to day, yet all its segnjcnts become, daily, more tenser and 
vtompact, until the enveloping skin is v.o longer capal)ie of contain- 
ing them : then it 'sheds', and directly after the moult the' l)ody 
grows more rapidly. So, people will hardly believe that the body of 
a Caterpillar tiiat has just mo ilted is, after the first moult three 
times larger than before the change ; — after the second weighs four 
times as niuch as it did before : — after the tliii'd wt'ighs tv.'elve 
limes more : — after the fourth, twenty ;— when full p:ri)\\-n, fv)rty. 

(i) The larva is the state of the insect im mediate Oy after it is 
hat(!hed from the egg, in which condition it eats voraciously, sheds 
its skin several times, and has the power of locomotion, but not 
that of j)ropagation. 

32 



POSITIVE CARES FOR ALL AGES 

No\y, when tlie Cfi«;erpiri3>i";^> are at this stage, in which tb.ej ■>-'- 
main from 12 to 24 hoiuYs they must not be fed, othciwise (as tleir 
metamorphosis is .Vlvancin;: -I'Sid they are unable to go about) thej 
vfoujd be burled under tlio liavos and, not beinir '.n contar;! wilh 
the air, would ^r':^ a longer t^me to 'be undressed'. " 

Besides, it must be knov/n that if the Caterpillars a'e ifot kepi s- 
rf^rily, hy means of the rules _?iveii below, they cannot moiiLT, "al- 
most, nl] at t'le same tnne" : thence, it happens that, oc the same 
litter, or shelf, some undergo xoultiag tind some are unable to do 
it : in this case, of course, a number of them does not need food 
and another does. Then now, a bad Goiiundruiii should be so'vcd 
because, if the needy ones arc fe:I, those not so are injuried, being 
not in contact with the air ; and if, to avoid such, these are not fed, 
the (»thers wib suiTor for want of food. To avoid this difficulty in 
i-enr'ng Silk-Caterpillars it is needed eveness on each shelf. 

II. 
EVEI^ESS. 

To kecj) the C;iterpil]ari evexly nriist be ol^served the folIo^^ing 
riit s which., allowing more heat to those hatched later, give them a 
pi'sli to vi\HA\ those issued from the (::-r,^3 soonnor: — 

1 . Thoie hatched the iirst day mu;]t be put on the lower shelf 
of ;: swinger and kept rJl by themsclvcr^ ; those hatched tlie sec- 
ond d:iy nui?t be put on the nert shcC ; those hatched the third 
day on the thb'd shelf, etc. 

2. The \)od must be distributed evenly to all the Caterpillars, 
i. c. gcp.ily spreading (al)out) the same amount of leaves to all. 

• ). If after oiu^ or two hours, all the Caterpillars occupying a 
shelf are not resting to moult, those which are yet hungry must 
be removed from said shelf and })at on another — this 0})eration be- 
ing done as in the following [)aragra})hs on changing and snACi-:. 

38 



POSITIYS CARES FOR A.L AGKS, 

VriioD Cateri)ir!;irs ;ire tiH^iited as above, durino- their life, they 
v.lll iu)t 1)0 ti'oir^'lesome, because breeders will haxe always a luuu- 
b?r of them MorLTiXG and anotlier number eating-whieh arraiigc- 
i:ioiil peniuts a good distn])i tioii of cares, avoids waste of food 
t.iid favors tlio health, of tlu' Caterpillars ; also lessens the work. 

Ill 
CM AN CI MQ. 
Vnien the Caterpiihirs nmst be cmanged from the old litters 

(whicli is explaijicd hei'eiii) they must be attracted by fresh appe- 
tizing leaves to some place. Therefore, when they are young they 
must be attracted with tlie leaves on the 'p^rforaied paper and when 
old they can he changed hy feeding them with young shoots, or 
smali branches with fresli lea\'es. 

It has been already explain.ed how to make the 2)erf orated paper. 
Xovr take a sheet of such paper and lay it on the Caterpillars ; or 
better: cover all tiie Caterpillars laying on a shelf with sheets of 
such papex, situated one next to another ; then spread leaves on the 
sheets. After you have done so, repeate the same doing with all the 
other Caterpillars that must be removed ; then go to the shelf you 
tirst ''springled with leaves" and see if the greatest number of 
the Caterpillars have crowded through the holes on the fresh leaves. 
If they did not so, wait a while ; if they did, take one of the ''per- 
forated sheets", by its diagonal corners, and carry it to the nearest 
empty shelf. Lay it there and go to take the others and i)ut them 
one next to the other until the sludf is covered with them. 

IVhen that is accomplished, look if any Caterpillars are left in 
the old litters. If you iind any of them, remove them to a shelf 

KEPT PURPOSELY FOR THE LAZY AND DISEASED ONES ; tllCU reUlOVC 

the litters, either rolling u}), from end to end, the 'straw-patjcr' 
whereon thev are or sheet ])v she^t. 



POSITIYS GARrlS FOR ALL AGES. 

il^^^If the litters of the yonng Caterpillars appear well cov- 
ered with silk-web, it indicates tliat a irood silk ])rodiu'in«- hreed 
is kept on hanil. 

After tlie al)ove, the shelf is ready to eontaiii some Caterpillars 

agaiii-and so on with all the old litters and shelves. 

And that is the operation of changing, or, cleaning the litters of 
the Caterpillars . 

If yon tijid difficulty in removing the 'perforated pa[)ers' filii^eii 
wirli C^iterpillars, use half sheet ; or i)etter : pull a sheet on a ^ina, 
traij as large as a sheet of sfraw 2)u]}er (of which tray we spoke v\ 
No. 5) and then lay it on a clean shelf, as already wi'itteu. 

Wlien the Caterpillars are full-grown they can be su})p]ied witli 
/ouiig shoots without bard thorus-if they are fed on osage. In tlii,^' 
' ase it is not necessary to use the 'perforated paper', because thi^ 
slioots can be taken on the trays and then replaced on another shelf. 

Sometimes the Caterpillars do not ?/Ioult all within one or two 
hours on ihe same .-helf : then again, after moulting, they must 
ha\e more space than they did before : therefore it is evident thai 
wlicn they are changed then more s])ace must be given to them, be- 
cause after each ^foi'LT they grow largei'. 

So, if a shelf is crowded with Carerpilhirs it should be covered 

twice witli 'perforated paper', that is, a number of the Caterpillars 

nnist be removed with the tirst hif/ing on and the rest with the sec- 

nd (which makes two shelves from one) : the fev^^ tarch/ ones to 

be put separately. 

IV 
SPACE. 

The Caterpillars must be ke])t PosrnvELY uncrovvded. I'hey can 
be seen on the shelves either crowded as jnits around the mouth r-" 
an aiit-hill, or as a swarm of ants v/itliin a few feet of their nests, 

[f thev are s< attercd. like in tlie latter case, thev have 'sp^Ayr-' e~ 



POSITIVE CARRS FOR ALL AGKS 

iiouii'li : but when they are almost one above auotht^i-, like in tli^.^. 
former, they must be divided. This is done not only when the Cat- 
erpillars are 'changed' but also by puttins: fresh leaves where the\ 
appear Rway'yniu'j and, after awhile, removing said leaves (or shoots 
^'limbed by Caterpillars) to a more ope)) place of the same shelf — a 
w^ay to keep even all the lauvas on one given surface. 

Should a whole shelf be over-crowded, then it must be nvidr sparse 
at once, occupying one or more shelves with its su})erabundant (Cat- 
erpillars — in this case to be removed, quicker, with the 'perforated 
paper', which must not h^ -pulled, in this case, but must be lifted in 
order not to hurt those laying under it.j 

KS^^^ the silk-web on the litters is too thick, it shows that the 
Caterpillars are too man3/ together (i.e. have not enough 'space' ) 
and therefore they must be thinyied. 



--Vd*>i* ^^fi'>icdP>*-3 



-r fi. 



^f §1), #f %§r^^. 



Owinj>; to •Miioncpoly and fnuid" Caterpillars' eggs are nov. 
ijccoining more atod more' unreliable. In hwX ; formerly it wasonh 
important to detect wortlilet?>-; eggs, but at present— fi^ult of ih. 
importers of Japrriieso medicated silk and inferior breed of Cnter 
pillar-eirixs one must look out for the ^ 'cheap breed" (given away. 
even, free to depreciate the value of the American silk) and try t^ 
rear'only those Caterpillars whose silk l)eing acknowledged to bf. 
the best coujuuinds better prices. 

Ill order that i)eoph' may know what they buy we give the folic w 
ing rules : 

The examination of the seed becoming niore and more important 

must be made iirst on the outside, and then, a little time befon 
hatching, with a powerful microscope. 

The principal characteristics of good seed are, externally : a per 
feet resembhmcc among the eggs, viz. : the}^ must be all of tht 
same size, hav« all almost the same color and the same little de- 
pression in the middle ; they must also stick to the place when 
thev were laid by the butterflies and must be absolutely odorless 
Jni)anese and bivoltine eg*!^ are usually smaller than the Italian an 
nuals, ''so being also their coming Caterpillars." If the eggs wen 
laid one next to anotlier, regularly, it is a proof that the l)utterfly 
layini:- thenj was heidthy and lively, but if the eggs are laid in litth' 
heaps, it ma}- signify that they might h{iv<^ been sickly. 

Fruitful oirus belona'iiig to the y^^How-cocoons-bcst-producing 
breed are like the white spots in this cut. 




TYii^y have u v'o'el coh;:- wiuii s/ougiio in FriMuary; appear dark- 



si-;sD OR i-:ggs, co:v:\l^u.i[.. 
gray when bought in March ; bought near hatching time they a, - 
near lio-ht viohjt, but obscrvmn' thciii eh)selv their .-lu'll i.s cleafjy 
distinguishable and their inside is uviwW bhick — which is the litth" 
Caterpillar body ready to eoint^ forth. Besides, evcj-y now and 
J.hen, a little cracklmg, caused by :ni invisible split in the sholU can 
be distinctly heard among them. These eggs produce only once a 
year, no matter what scientific ])ro(:ess might be employed to foiee 
them to life oftener, and, therefore," ai-e called annuals. Forty 
thousand (round number!) of them weigh ovie ounce. 

Fruitfal eggs of the white eocoons-producing-brecd have the 
oame characteristics and weight of the above. The white cocoons 
of this breed are very fine, but owing to the fact that they are eas- 
ily soiled by the Caterpillars, and in handling, their prices are al- 
ways cut dowr. unmercifully ! 

Fruitful eggs of a breed producing cocoons white, light yellow 

■ind deep yellow, have a light olive color: these cocoons are the 

pest of the silk actually raised here in America ! Kggs about the 

same weight. 

Fruitful eggs of aW polivoUines, that is, eggs that will hatch over 

and over again in one year, have about the same color of the yellow 
cocoons breed, but about 45,000 of them w^ill weigh one ounce. 
Cocoons lighter than the annuahs. 

Fruiifd Japanese eggs, light green, straw or wdiite, have color 
bright violet, etc. About 54,825 of them weigh an ounce ! 
Lighter cocoons still, and the cheapest ! ! ! 

Urfruitful ^g^s are ea&ily detected by everybody when they arc 
dried up ; but it must be known that all, either reddish or yellow 
eggs, are unfruitful v:]ien bought. 

The eggs can also be examined hy their i<pccific weight, remem- 
bering that one gram oi impregnated eggs contains about 1,250 of 

38 



:zk::?> oh hg'O:^? (jomtinu;;;^. 
tlitni, wliiJst one <ri' ^h of iinfruitf:!] lumibers i,H5() or more (^<i:2'-^. 

DifTcrcist In'oeds r.ivn he know;! by the following means: 

Take a few eiri>\s r.nd })nt them oii a small piece; of .^dass, situated 
o.i so;i!t' while j)aper : then wet them Avithi a. (h'op of eommon iim 
inoi:ia ; If tiiev h</lon;.r to the ai]:mal-C()Coons-pro(Jucin;ir l)reed, they 
will .suddeuiV take a deep irreeii color; if tiiey are of tlie polivoltiiu- 
i::vvc\\ breed, they will take a liglit brown ;.ci'eenish tint: the white 
u!i(l \'ellow annual do n(4 ehanii'e colors. 

AVe liave ahv^ady written how to examine (jermlnattd and unjer- 
■,]in)rit(^>l eji*!:-^, breed of eg<is. nund)ei', etc., and should now teb 
];ow to detect diseased ep^U's. A good micros(^ope could tell it only. 
Xcvcrilie^ess w^^ will erideavor to give a few ride:< : If among the 
eii'gs \'ou l)ii\', voLi detect some of them having Mindl little blacl^ 
spnt^ Oil tliC shell, they must be refused bct-ausc they are infecte(! 
with the Uack iico/nye, and will be fatal to your ex[)oc:ations — |)er- 
ha.ps just when you Ihiidv tiiat their hatch(^d Caterpillars are going 
to -j)in their cocoons. Tlieu :igain : if you break a few egii's t)e' 
tween two [)iv'cc.-; of gliiss :uk1 see that tlieir contents do not app.cai 
uiiifurnj in i'ound little circlets, and inste:u! of, take oval or 
conic >i]a})es, tlu^y are disea>ed. \ microscopical examir.:itiori can 
be taken only with powerful and expensive microscopes, and a-- 
these are not at tlu^ service of all the peoi)le, we don't give here 
a,n exphuiation about ii, h{^[nng that what we have said here a!)o^'e 
m"ghi be of good use to r.lL 

Wdien the ('a.terj)iilars luiv(^ been well reared, v.'ill produce 
('ocoons, \('l.ow or v.!i:te (according to bre(si) weigliing 2o3 [)ei 
lb. against ;>;':^ of Ja[)aiiese breeds Then the xalue of tlie forme!' 
i^- double or ti'eble tiiat of Viie latvc:*. 

\Xc end t ' s artleie bv tcliiig our renders, that the !)esi eggs ar*'- 

o:) 



hatch: II G . 
those described as above and th;ii tiiey can ])c .-old on ]j'.i'vc^ of 

paper — board, |}apcr or linen, avIi;- eon the l^iterpiihirs laid them. 

Then, if buyers oi c\irg- receive -.. ached or loose e<i-gs, thcj' nmst 

be more careful in tlie exaniinatl''.i, because sonictiuies tliey are 

fra iidul e n tly p repared . 



The earlf/ ha cliincj of Silk-Ca;< rpillars eggs brings around many 
failures ; people fear the warm \veatlier and believe that the Cater- 
pillars fear it also, therefore, they will hatch early, and when it is 
too warm, they sluit up the openings ( f rooms containing worms 
and therein they choke the precious creatures. Without heat the 
little insect does not come forth from the i'.^^g^ is not lively when 
yomig and cannot build its little silken house. Why then hatch the 
eggs before the full disappearance of cold weather? It must be 
remembered that the Caterpillars hatched in April will not i)roduce 
the cocoons before those hatched in Ma\ : the former will iivc^from 
forty to fifty-six daj^s, whilst the latter live from thirty to thirty- 
six, and both of them will have eaten the same amount of f o( d 
with the difference, that those batched in April, have recpnrcd 
nearly two months of attention, and, perhaps, exi>enses, whilst iXw 
latter have required only one month. Do not fear the heat then, 
no matter what is said against it. We have reared Caterpillai's 
here in the months of Jalj/ and August, and have had good pro- 
duce after the lapse of tv»enty-four days only. (When too warm 
do not forget to feed li>jht and often.) 

Hatchvig must begin when it is known that enough little leaves 
can be gathered and supplied to the rising little Caterpillars. Then 

40 



HATCHING. 

vv'hen on the, lOtb or 15lh of April wc see the trees fijrly budded, 
we must bring the seed in the h.atehing room. (Any room will do 
only it irmst be supplied with a stove, thermometer and shelving, 
Vv'hercon to ]Hit the eggs .'ind keep the young worms for ii few 
days. ) In the lirst four days in Vvhieh the seed has been |)ut in 
the liatching room, the temperature mu-^t ije, night and day, not 
below 50 degrees frt., and not above 5-5 ; in the next four d;iys, not 
i)el()vv- 55 and not above TtO ; in the next four days from 60 to 65 ; 
then adf] a degree of heat every day until it has reaehed 77 degrees. 
This last tem]Kvrature must be kept in the hatehing room in the 
time the Caterpilhirs are eomlng forth as well as through all their 
lirst age. 

'rh(^ seed cim be put in the hatehing room, cither stuck on the 
paper l)oards vvdiere they had been laid or in a little square box as 
here below. In both eases the eggs should be touched with a solu- 
tion of common s:ilt in order to destroy any corpuscle which might 
have wintered on the shell, and also in order to wx^aken the shell 
and so help the little insect to pierce thr(>ugh it. This hatJi of sail 
water is applied to the (i^^'Ji'o stuck on paper, etc, with a soft vret 
rag or sponge, but if the eggs are detached or loose, the}' can be 
dipped in. salt water outright, ruid after having been kept tliere for 
a C(>u[>ic of minutes, they must be spread to dry on blotting paper. 
When they are dried they must i)e put (each ounce) in two boxes 
six by eight inches, (or ten) about one inch deep. Over this box 
nuist l)e iixed a piece of tcuiaian or white mosquito net, (for pur- 
poses exj)lained in the article oi\ first aje) and so prepared tlicy are 
kept, as t:ie i^-^i^jx^ on paper in the hatching room, in the Iap^>o of 
ten or tifieen days, the eggs put to hatch become a light-i' luu] 
wlii'er color, ih^^ little Cater|ui]ars are sei^u in them, a clic':iag h 

41 



heiird and a few Jbrc/iinner^ avQ t^oen issuing forth. Soin^:^ poojiU' 
suir2:<!st io disregard them, thev boiiur ;^o few— ])e:'hai):' \vu or 
twenty ])er day; but if th(-;c little beings foretell tiie approaching 
hatch of their large family (ii^ the same way in which a few cranes 
foretell the j>A(^/(//?:c of their near |)assing army) why cannot they 
foretell also being taken care of— the ap[)r();ic!i of their going to 
spin their cocoons? It is no trouble at all to take care of sich a 
few, and they will n^mind you of the siuv time in which tlum- kind 
are i>:oing to hatch, to shed their skin, to cat, to be voracious, to 
spin, etc., then^fore be merciful with them. 

The youni>: insects come forth almost always at the second and 
third hour after sunrise. One ounce of eggs wluui progressively 
iiatched, takes two or three days oidy to produce, but otherwises 
takes four, live and even eight days — in the latter cas(vs the n^aring 
becoming more difficult as we explain in next article. 
g'^^The rule about the warmth of the weather, given iii tlie head 
of this article, cannot be applied to the n.nmy different climates of 
jhe States possessing 'osage plants', because the leaves of osage 
are 'Hlangerously affected" by showers and the hot rays of tlu^ sun. 

On this account (to avoyd the, almost suddenly, 'thickened sap' 
of said leaves) it is absolutely important for the prosperity of Silk 
Culture in those States where the temperature is too inconstant to 
st;ard the hatching of the eggs vvhen the heaves an^ just budding. In 
this way, it has been experimented that tlie Cater])iilars come up 
all right. 

But, now, must be used artificial heat. This can be easily 'pio- 

vided either witli the house or with the kitchen heating apparatus ; 
any of which being n-ed must have a degi'ce of moisture, whicli 
is procured by constantly keeping on the stove a kettle full of water, 
containing a little pulverised lime. WORMS do always well in 

42 



FIRST AGE. 

ill newly white-waslied houses, and are never reared in the kitchen 
To keep the Caterpillars warm by means of the direct heat emanat- 
ing from Ji cast-iron stove [especially if new] it is to procure the 
Jl acidify in them. 

FAULTS IN HATCHING. 

People unacciu'iinted with Silk-Culture, detach the little e<''<>-sfroni 
the j;)lace wliere they were laid, rubbing, loosing and crushing most 
of them ; then they put them under the mattress, in the sun, or ii. 
their breasts at a temperature of 85 to 95 degrees; this is not 
//r//c// /;/{/: it is h:i]f-cooking the Silk-Caterpillars' eggs — which are 
kept in a little bag wherein are mixed up bad eggs, shells, little 
Diulberry leave.^ and little worms together. Then this is the foun- 
dation of the silk-rearing disasters, and it is no wonder that man-^ 
l)reeders (loho attempt to rear ivitJi another person and with such bad 
hatch in J process, Caterpillars issuing from four or five ounces oj 
''J [is) scared}^ '^c^i \ii\\ or fifteen pounds of bad cocoons. 

CAEIS Mf AILEliei 14< 



hm. 



FIRST ACE. 
Caterpillars just hatched from the eggs are as large as in the cut. 




If they have citiier a deei) (chestnut or a u.uK color, they are 
hcallliy; but if they are reddish or l)lack, they have been hatched 
I adlv, are sickly and will give triable ; bettor throvv them away.. 
At about noon .'incl six iionrs after, galJier the little (Caterpillars, 
putting tender K^-^^vji^i:^. o - mulborry leaves on them, or on the isios- 

4a 



F I R S 7 AGE. 
quito iiol— ahoiit v:\v.ch. iuis already bctc:! sp()ko:i of. 
Let the leaves reniaiii so for al-MKit one; hour a:id tiu^v will soon he 
covered with buiidieds of Caterpillars, 'i'ake, then, each leaf again 
verv carefully aiid from t]\Q. j)edicJe, and lay 1 hem one after anotlier 
on a sheet of straw [)a])er, which you must Ijave jib'eady situated 
near the hatching •\:rs : when this paper is full pul! it on the ,'imaJI 
frcr// and sitiiate h on a lower shelf, and there p. -.:. also all tlu^ other 
sheets of straw p:iper covered with leaves ful oJ little Cater[)illars 
c/afhered the tirsi time. When you f/o'fher the Caterpillars the 
next dtiv, put them on the above shelf and so on. Such treatment 
is needvMi to kec^p them ( rt^n, 

X <-oiiple of hours aftei you have (lafJiercd the young Caterpil- 
hirs, feed them with well cut up leaves. Do not mash tlu^ leaves 
when you cut them u[), but aftei- having made a little l)uuch, cut 
them :is ^nndl as a hair, if ])()^sil)le, with a shai'p knif(>. Lny, 
then, these sharinr/s, erejil'/ on tlu^ Caterpillars and repeat such as 
soon as they dry up. Wlien you feed idlow always niMve rooat to 
the Cater[)illars. (See paragra})hs on. space and iiATrniN^;). 

The color of the little Caterpillar^ originate from hairs, with 
which their body is covered, although their skin is r(>ally irJiitisJi, 
and their snout black and shining. \\'hen they are three days old 
thev become hungrier, their head whitens and their bodi(vs are a 
dark yellow. On the fourth day they a[)pear y('lh>iris]i-bluf ; on 
the fifth, their appetite lessens, and on the end of the sixth day 
they rest for moiM^ing. The first cut on next page shows the Cater- 
pillars m 'd. moidthf/ attitude, which is .v/ZZ/y^cxv, //pad mvoU en, fore- 
part of hodt/ elevated. 

lu all the MOUi/nxG hours, care, must be taken that the Cater- 
pillars are not struck by a "sudden change of temperature :'* there- 
fore, to the wdndows and all other openings must be given the 

44 



S E C O r ■. AGE. 

proper attention. Neither mast they feel sudden shocks; henc^^ 
eare must be taken in moving, "with more consideration in th»^ 
ujoiiltinp!: hours", the swingers on which they are laying. 




CatcrpHhirs should not {>e kept more crowded than they are seer. 
in the above engraving. 

BivoUine issuing from the eggs are a little smaller than the Cat- 
erpilhirs of lirst cut. In all this age no more than twelve pouna^ 
of leaves are needed. For food wanted daily and in each ao-e, se-e 
table published in this Directory. 

SECOflD ACE. 




One or two hours after CaterpiHars are moulted^ thov begin U 
look for food, wliich must be given to them on the small-sized per- 
forated straw paper (page 1^^) in order to change them. (See 
changing). 

Caterpillars issued from one ounce of eggs will occupy at this 
aire fro ui twelve to ♦'rhteen sh^^rts of straw pap(M", according'* tc 
the number of them 1 rou2:lit sa't\ iv to this time. Thev iro throuo-'i 
this second age iu l-?ss time ti;:in in the former — that is, in tiv^ 
days. When just moulted the ' ,-st time their heads are aboux 
three-fold larger than befon; an(i are w'litish ; their body has a dari- 
gray color whicli ccnitinually beco^n'^^s dearer unti! it takes an ash- 
colored hue and :i little y<>]if)\vi At this time two liitle curvec 



,iiies are perceived on their buck, as ^ ; l)esi(]t\>--, their body's length 
increase^ [if they are healthy] to the size represented in the above 
v,'ii<>:raviiii>:, and their weio'ht is. iihnost six times greater tlian that 
of their lirst ai>e. On the third day they must be elianged again and 
nituated on fi'oiM -ixteen to twc^iity-foiir sheets of paper. AV^hen 
fiiev i-est for the .'■■(^cond moult \\\v\ are almost transparent and h)ok 
as in the first cut here beh)W. Food about I'.iirty. eight po.uids. 
; See table). 




THIRD ACE. 

The medium si/.e of Caterpilliirs are now tlius : 




This aire lasts nearly seven davs. The Caterpillars must be 
cJianged, as has been shown for the previous age. As soon as they 
begin to look for food they are changed and situated on from 
twenty-four to thirty-six sheets of straw paper. After the fourth 
day they are changtd again and put on from thirty-six to iif(\' 
sheets of paper. When just moulted the t^econd time they seem 
pearl-colored — some of them looking speckled. At this stage of 
their life they always become more clear and white ; they also in- 
crease twice as large and four limes as heavy, and when they rest 

46 



7 O "J R T H A O E . 
in woalt the third tuiu\ they appear as in the next out: 




The CaterpiUars are kept almost always fno crowded, and \n 
rhangiivf them many of them are thrown away with the litters. 
Tiic' h'aves are kept too much piled up, and when gathered an- 
pounded into the bags or Iniskets. The k^ayes will ferment or at 
kMsl sweat, whieh is enough to ruin the ))est party of Caterpillars. 

FOURTH ACE. 
( Rules jziyen in the different ages of Silk-Caterpillars are meant 
fov the number of CaterpiUars issuing from one ounce of Qg^^.) 




(\iterpillars go through this age in seven or eight days. Afte^ 
having just moulled ihi^ third time (as well as iif all their other 
moults) they appe:u- for a few hours rather f*-eble, being stil- 
until wh(n their very delicate skin, and pariiciilnriy their snoots, 
are gr>)yn iirm ; after having bee i in coiitai^t w ah the air, the;^ 
they^acquiic strength, look for food, lose their light lerm cotU, 
color, ^vhich they had after tiie moult and become more white, 
daily. Now, it can be \Qvy well perceived if they have been eat 

47 



F . F T H A G S . 
inp;, by seeing ti. ' eight segirK-iiis [oi- riijg.^J of {-lei: bod'-e; to ap- 
pear of a grcciiidli hue. At this time of their lif >, rhev g/ow as 
large as the above engraving, whieh has been taken afier nature. 
When Silk grou-ers find their CaterpiUars about as large as those 
herein sketched [unless they are bivoltines'] they ean ho[)e for a 
good success, a- «ve!l as when the Caterpillars moalt, resting about 
in rhe-same po^idon as the foUowiiig : 







Feed as in the 1\ible. After rnoaUliiy the f(»urth time, and when 
they move the forepart of tJie body in search of leaves, they must 
receive them on large perforated pa})er and be changed. This llnic 
[if a great many of them have been reared safely] tliey must occupy 
about eight}^ sheets of straw paper or from six to eight shelves. 
<)x3 feet. On the fourth day they must be changed again, and put 
on from 80 to 120 sheets— eight to twelve shelves. The Cater- 
[)illars are not injuried by cold weatJier ; they only need good food, 
plenty of pure air and cleanliness ; that is, they must never lay on 
old litters^ and what is worse, o\\ fermented litters. To avoid odors, 
better ^change' in the early morning hours. Do not give too maiiy 
leaves at once. [See Table.] But if the weather is cold, they do not 
est so much : whilst they will eat more than is ealculated if it is 
ver}^ warm, and the iattin- (-ase is better bocaust^ (hey become ripe 

,<ooner. 

^^g^^Now it can be said that the Caterpillars 'grow at sight' be- 
cause two days after they have gone through the size of above engrav- 
ing, the} will increease in body, and appetite 'considerably' : and 

48 



Fi FT H AGE. 

now i.s the timo to use better cares than ever. VV^ithiu ten or twelve 
cl;iys, will come eithej- the produce or the disapoiiitment — which wiH 
ha felt in;)r:\ of course, by those who expecting to make plenty of 
money outlay -i [''uueconomically and without expenence"] a little 
too niuc^ cMpit.;! to start with. 

FIFTH ACE. 
At till- age the ('.ite/piliars grow in weight six times more than 
tlic preceding one, and n^acli the size of this cut: 




In the lirst two days, after having them chanr/ed and situated on 
from twelve to fourteen hittice-like shelves, they must be fed with 
discreti<>:i, but after that time they must be covered with leaves 
one or t\\o inches dee ^, siv times in twenty -four hours, and if they 
linish them in less than half of an hour, they must receive more : 
in short, they ??2K.s'/^ eat continuously; if otherwise, they vvill spin 
bad c(,c'0()ns. If tlie season is very warm, the leaves must bo giver- 
in less quantity and oftener. Total amount of leaves eaten by 
nearly 39,000 Caterpillars is about 1,300 pound;. At least every 
other day the Caterpillars must be cha igcd in this age. If 
many Caterpillars have not b.'cn lost in previous ages, and if the 
weather is ver}' damp, it is better to situiite Uwm in more than 
twenty-foi.r shelves, as shown in the table. To make it eas} 
chang,3 tie Caterpillais at four different times of the day, a part 
each time. Wb.en they are chang >d on the seventh day of this age, 
the sheets of straw paper must nol be Japped, on the shelves (as it 



:-• . F T H A (} j! . 

must litive becM! 'toLie before), but must be situated there one inch 
apart from eacii other in ordei* to arrange the dvij shn'js ^p^ige 2o] 

among them. 

Should the 'iiiters' appear veiy damp, and if it be impossible to 

ehanire, it is ii ■ >f.il to sprinkle them wilii crambled straw. 

Woe to the (^alerpillar breeders, now, U ihey shut up windows, 

doors or any ;iir-ho]e ; if they do, they jeopardize their iiieoming 

silk crop. AVe spoke of this already. If it is too hot, sfvin(/ the 

outfit a Avhile. If the sun's rays strike the Caterpillars, overshadow 

them with paper, linen, etc., and if it is dam[), waif, but do not 

shut the openings of the cocoonery ; remember this, and in a few 

days you will be rewarded for the pains taken in the short forty 

days (or less) of cares. 

*^*The above paragraph is limited only when a wind-storm is 
raging, in which case small apertui-es will [)roduce a little draft, 
which can supply all the needed air. 

To avoid odors carry the litters a little off, let them dry in the 
sun, and they will also be a good winter fodder for your live stock. 

Caterpillars after their Jouvth moult, which can last even two 
days or more, (if the temperature is low and if they are in good 
health) when undressed of their fornuu" skin, have a terra cot, a 
color; next to this they show from their tail up, a transparent yel- 
low rosy tinge, which advances onward toward the middle of the 
body, until it becomes all of the same appearence — very much like 
A piece of amber examined through the light. 

If the Caterpillars are of the white-cocoon-producing-breed they 
do not appear to be of a yellow rosy hue, but they hvq jjeJlncid, 
nevertheless. 

When the Caterpillars appear so they are near to become ripe for 
^^pianing ihQiv i<ilk'Shromls {QOQOim^) ^\\(\ when after a few hours 

50 



F I F T ]-; A a E . 
hev become so, they climb over the leaves, without eatiiiir then:, 
and l)egiQ to ramble,— even wandering from the shelves if the silk- 
grf)vver has not provided for them the dn/ .^ht-ubs, a])()!jt which is 
spoken on page 23. Mow to arrange, the said shrubs will be written 
in this work, in apposite article, hereafter. When the Caterpilhir-; 
have found a place where to spin their silken cells, they promptly 
climb on them, taking ihis j^osture : 










Rimirk.^: — Now in the above sketch is seen a Caterpillar which, 
although safely arrived to the silk-producing stage of its life, yQX 
cannot ba of any proHt to the breeder because it was not provided 
with the required ^shrubery'. The most useful insect, in this case, 
is wasting awa}^ its silky substanceon a piece of mulberry-leaf, 
vainly trying to fasten the first webs in order to envelop itself in 
a cocoon. 

Here, now it seonii useful to point o;it that neither "little cornu- 
copias (made of old news papers) nor the *put THE V^aitMS TO SPIN 
IN THE FOLDS OF A DRESS* [as published in a weekly-paper] have 
any thing to do with the roaring of even a few tiiousand of larvye ; 
the 'folds and the cones' might b(^ used by students and curioslt}-- 

51 



EKROKS IN THIS AGE. 

-•.eckers, and not by silk-growers. Wooden frames with cells one inch 
square and one deep are also used, but they are expensive and. -.and 
Khruby-plants, answering the same purpose, are so plentiful in A- 
Hi erica, a,nd so cheap ! 

blRRORS IN THIS AGE. 

Not giving enough leaves to the Catepi liars, or giving to them 
tender leaves are mistakes that will [)ut in jeopardy the presumably 
/^ppntachmg produce. Want of air and 'changing' are also eiTors 
to be avoided. Inattension of mice, poultry, winged insects, cats, 
is also fiiulty — if ants invade tlie 'Swingers', they can !)e 8topp(^d by 
putting some 'raw-cotton' around and at the top of the lines of the 
Swingers. When the shvKbs are situated too crowdy it is also against 
the larvce, which in this case canr.ot be supplied with air and will 
be suffocated in a sliort time. 



§^)>)>.. .<((((^^ 



52 



l'v^>,%^'s^,^^%^*,^**%%%^%^%%'%^^^^^%^1i<J^'<i.;i.%%%%^■tl^%^%^^'^^^%%^^J,%^^%%^^^%^<5.•^ 



strict 'M.' mm^mA 



Long ?>efoi'(' the Ciiterpilhiivs hiive reached tliis stage of their litV' 
Silk-growers must hS^v^e prepared the dry ])rash-wo()d, turnip- 
stalks, heath or hay, etc., etc. 

Now four or live days before the Caterpillars are ripr, any of thf 
above brush nnist coniiuence to be arranged on the shelves. This i.*; 
*ione as f(;il()ws : After tlie tine stems of some of the shrubl)ery hav<? 
))een cleared (»f all leaves, seeds, tops, etc., they are phiced on the 
s[)aces now left between each straw paper, and so the tirst ripe C'at- 
(^rpiihiis, which would like to wander fron the paper in search of i. 
no'jk for spinning, tind a readv suitable [)lace and there tliey build 
rheir silken house — fastening on some of the little tvv'igs and stems, 
a web-like-net wdiich they make gradually smaller, long-sha[)ed, 
round and thicker, until when they have enveloped themselves in 




-c^.. 

**>. 




their silken shrouds, usually c;died cocoons. On the above fine 
stems of brush-wood others, are added vnth care and wlie^ Mie num- 
ber of ripe CaterpHhi-s increases, sinall branches ju-o a-M<-l with 

53 



S H R 13 B -^ ' N G , 

the inferior part on the shelf and the superior one, opened lik< 
fan, laying on the shelf above as in this cut : 



^^W?^^K^^ 




^^i^S.1^ 



Mli«iipf| 






If ueith' r the brushwood noi* heath, etc., is on hand, shrubby- 
plants of ai'V kind will suit, provided that they are wi'il di'v 
branchy without leaves, thorns or little twiir^-, apt to mix u[) witli 
the outside web (floss silk), and particularly not very crowdy or 
thick in order that the air may circulate freely also for Caterpillars 
ripening later. This brush must be high enough to fit between 
two shelves and form an arch under the upper one. If //ay is 
used it nuist be tied up very loose with twine and made to suit the 
.same purpose. When almost all the Caterpillars have climbed on 
the shiubs, some well seasoned leaves (not dry because they will 
crumble) of oak tree must be added among those which ramble 
around without going to work. The shrubs, by reason of their 

54 



|i\ little trkr the shiijc nf sninll coltii^^cs ns iii t\v.^ cut : 













(':!!•(' inu^l ]);• takoii th:'t the side h/iish do not coiiu' o'ltssde (}f 
lh«' i I'eucllli and leDiilh of ti.e shelves, ^ther\vi^^o ^on.e ('alei'jHlJsirs 

f./i! l<> t he i^- o;iiid. 

SIXTH AC^. 

T. ;;- period eoiiipreheuds ihv iiijie in whleh the picioa^ tarr^f 
<'ea;-hs.. l(? tahe uoiirislinieiir produces the silk (hope and ai/n of the 
hiik-( ;iUi[h;hir droedc^is) ^piiiiiiiig it in eoeooiis, in which en- 
.yh.!(>[.(h';l, it t r:\iisfoi-nis \{>v\f iiUo ;i c/tri/salis, until tiie time ir. 
which it !n<'tanioi'phosiz,'s it>cif a;^ain iiito a pei'fect insect— tiiat i>; 
into a !;;iticT'(|y. 

WduM! i\\i' Calerpilhir ; l)e_i>ii> to becoine ri]H;\ t-iat is, l)ecouie 
nearer to llieir uiosr d-.i -..tc traiisforuuition they muse continually 
hatlie in [)ure air, hut Jiow as weil as Vvdien they moult, they nui^t 
not feel sudden chan2"'s of tein[)eraturc. Neither cold noi" wjiimp 
Wc'athe]-, hurts wed fei, not overcrowded, often changed and well- 
aired Caterpilhirs ; they ni i^^r h^ protected orily from Huddei: 



.^ I :-: T H kGF.. 
chanires ol' teiviperature. When too warm do not admit too many 
people ill the cocoonery, and in rainy weather do not admit dam[) 
objects, ])ut ^vhil^;t a sudden cold weather or a bad Avind disturb 
and arrest the respiration of tlie I'aterpil ars, the want of air, if 
doors and windows are kept eh)sed, will choke a large swarm of 
Cater}>ilhirs in a single night. 

At this r.ge ii too h)ng al)stineiK'e may also be against the Cater- 
pillars, therefore if leaves should be wet, they must be dried artiii- 
cially (we said how in the first pa.ri) but the Caterpillars nuist not 
he in need of them a single hour. 

A\'e insist on the above adv i es h'ccause this is the e[)och of th(> 
disappoiiiinuuit for those who :.:ive reared the Caterpillars \\ithoui 
the due attention. 

Now at this time the Caterpi]i:.rs at vrork must not be disturbed ; 
therefore to cLcnif/e those Caterje.Hars which were not yet ri[)e, it is 
necessary to feed them with slioc^ts, and when they Inive climbed 
on them they can be removed t-,) another shelf; tlu^ litters tlu^n are 
gently swept on the dust [)an and carried out. If some ripi? Cater- 
pillars do not go to the shrubs th(^y can be mo\'ed with care a llltie 
towards and near them ; when only a few wanderers are left ann)nnr 
the cottages, it is l)etter to remo'.c them to another shelf with ready 
inade vshrubber}-. 

As a rule, Cater})illars climb; !\u-//*ee/// produce the best cocoons; 
\vhen such ones, after clind)ing empt}^ themselves of a few drops of 
clear water, they foretell an excellent silk produce. For neatness' 
sake, s[)rinkh> now a light layer of crmnpled straw upon the straw 
litters. 

Two and even three day.^ after the first Caterpillars climbed (if 
they are very healthy and the temperature is at from 80 to 85 de- 



SI L K--G AT H E R . HG. 

irrees) almo.-t all of them will Iiave climbed oii the shrubs, those 
exceoted which must be put bv themselves, as explained above. 



-~s-<:^ --^^ :;■ «r^ «^^ 



iAKEllit 1 Ml Sltt €l§F. 

I'^iree days after the fetr //zir^^^^e C.iterpillars have been removed to 
a sp -eial shelf (or in different word-^ : three days after the greatest 
number of Caterpillars have enveloped themselves in their silken- 
shroud ) the GATHEiviNG must be accomplished, and iritis done 
nmch later. Silk-growers run the risk to spoil the crop, for reasons 
giveu iKyreafier. 

This most delightful, cas\', i.i.d charming occupiition lasts, 
bv no m.'nns, a short time — VvMkmi about ;;cS,000 cocoons must 
hc' c'>:iec::cd. Then, in order lo do sooi^, as is required, it is a 
trcai aiKi a commodity to invite soi;..e family friends who willingly 
will nel[) in tliis last duty. 

l\ie uUiU)st care must ba taken i i order not to squeeze or masli 
the cocoons. Thence ; — 

The sh]-uus, laden whh the aiiuring pjecious silken shrouds, 
placed upon the bottc^m shelf of a 'Swinger' must be taken down 
first, and l)e situated on a clean place ; then all the others -piogressiy- 
elv- After this has been done, the cocoons must be gathered from 
each shrub and spread, about three inches deep in a dry place — sai/ 
on one or two well cleaned shelves covered with nev/ t)jiper. 

Now, whilst the cocoons are collected, they must be, strictly, 
assorted -taking away the soiled, the shapeless, all the double-co- 
coons, (i. e. those few very large and very hard, containing two 



&7 



PRESERVING COCOONS. 

iXVYdd) and all the imperfect ones, which are those not being like 
'Jie hirgest ni:iii})er. The size, if the cocoon is not otherwise worth- 
less and if the Caterpilhirs were v;ell fed, does not depreciate very 
:-iuch the crop. On this account Silk-growers, for their own interest 
-•should not mix stained cocoons with the tine ones, if thn' do the 
•vhole lot will he depreciated. 

At tliis stage all the cares of the Silk-grower should be over and 
:)nly the disposal of the crop should be looked after. Yet, to make 
".his book Ciunplete, we give heie the next o])crai.!on pei'forin* d on 
:he new, or fresh, cocoons. 

As these cocoons are the sh.clter of the larva\ v« iieici:-. i!i«'\ l.c- 
cozne a perfect insect [tliat is, a buttei ily] so, w lien the ]:irvai 
nave cl-anged their forms, for the h:.»t t^me, the ];i1t< r I'lnrr th<* 
former and come to the liirht au;iin, thus : 



m 








^0^ 




Isow the larvffi become butterflies vritliin 10 or 20 d.ns afcer ihey 
have enclosed themselves into the silk, the higher the tempera! '.iro, 

58 



PUESERVING COCOONS. 

the sooner they trMHsform ; and «*ifler they iire out of the cocooils 
they reproduce (see reproduction), but their shrouds after having 
been pierced cannot be reeled — i. e. wound off foi' making first class 
silk-'jonds. Then, in order to make the cocoons good for this 
o[)er:itiou, the comiiKj out (>f the buttertiies must be prevented. 

This is done, effectually and icnJtout spoiling tlie produ.ce, first 
by choking the shrouded insects with steam, and ih^^n )>y gradually 
drying their remains \n tlie cocoons. 

To stiHe, or choke, it is needed an apparatus wherein the cocoons 
ar(^ spread in different layers two or three inches high ; then steam 
is turned intf^ this uir-tight apparatus, for about tlite(>n minute?^, 
after tluil, hot-air is substituted in the room, and in doing so th(^ 
enclosed ii!-;K'[s become lifeless and dry, and the silky-shrouds 
cai! be ke>)t intact a \Qvy long time. 

Tsow the stiflir.g and drying~roo!i! is attached always to those 
establishments udiich buy the raw-silk — i. e. /re.s-A cocoons ; there- 
fore it is not to be recommended to the Silk-growers to attempt the 
stifling of the larva^ — particularly because in doing it ; — 

First ; steamed cocoons, if not gently and progressively dryed 
up, will mould, and becoming spotted will greatly depreciate : and 
second, they cannot Ix^ sold as soon as gathered, because if their 
builders are choked they must, also, be dryed to accertaln the 
weight of the silk, and to prevent the moulding of the silk. 

At any rate ; if in the past it has been recommended to the Silk- 
growers to ''stifle the coco^fis'' ( !) it has been because the buy<'rs 

59 



PRESERVING COCOONS. 

did not have nccomodjitions for doing it, or did not. know how to 
do so, or did not want the risk. But when this pi'oduce takes such 
a. short time to be raised, itisapitj to jeopardize it with opei-ations 
which do not beh)ng strictly to the grower : besides it is too bad 
that the industrious persons who work in early Spring cannot 
make any money (if any ! ) until late in Autumn— whilst the ^.tock 
s on hand and must be kept safely watched and stored ! 

About the -reeling' of the cocoons, by the Silk-growers, it ha. 
■ een written enough on the fourteenth pag(\ 

Finally; those who raise silk to get a silk-dress, should cousidei- 
fhat it is easier surer and quicker to buy one with the nuxioy c::rned 
in a short ti?>ie, with the raised raw-silk, than by Wv'uvj; to mak.^ 
one, or to make chea]) handkerchiefs, with it. 

We found the new food for the Silk-Caterpillar, and we give the 
^suggestions which make Silk-Culture a 7-eal possihUUy hen^. 



Wi^^^^r-^xtlfefec^^i 



m 



,,,»»»»,****»**»,««»»*«»******^»-.»»**"**»«*»«»**««*»*»« 



Sbimi®. ai® iiimse. 



5»!« 



The best way, nay the only way, to sell the cocoons is to scu* 
them to the reeling-mill. 

The fr':xA cocoons, in order that they m-.iy not be crushed and 
spoiled, should be laid in tight b:.xcs having partitions each si, 
inches. 

Tiiey must be sent by Express, ociy. 

It is better to send to the silk^reeling-miU only the perfeci 
cocoons-the imperfect ones being very few and commanding r. 
very low price. They might be good for fancy home consumption, 
but' if 1 hey are sent to the market with the good ones they must 
be laid in one of the partitions by themselves. 

The waste cocoons, of a succssful rearing, will, ^scarcely, average 
two lbs. in one hundred pounds. 

Never (ill and ship two boxes when you can mnke one ; if not, 

(U 



SELLING, AND SHIPPING 

Express charges will be double ! And if you can join jour silk- 
crop with the Silk-giowers of your neigliborood, do it. and .liip in 
one box with two or more divisions. 

*De.-.l always with a 'truthful and practical Silk-growing-firm 
whieh at the proper time will an.swer free of chaige, for the 
advaiierment of Silk-Culture, for the destruction of foreign monop- 
oly, foi- the u^elfare of industrious willing yorth and old age, will 
HUbuvr all quer^tions pcrtainirg to Silk-Husbandry, with ghidnesi,: 

But, be sure to avoid the sijk-brokers, (real or otherwise), 
because they buy only dry o.coons and on commission: wjmh 
really means that they do not buy from you, but that they will sell 
Tor you [when they please, or when they can] and pay tiicmselves 
iirst the "fearful brokers-fees'". 

This last part is not about Si!k-Culture, indeed, but ii is of such 
i iportance for the success of it that we conclude with the poet : 



"A WORD TO THE WISE 13 SUFFICIENT !' 



* 



%'^'^'^V%/M/%/Vii/%/%% If g 



H2 



l.^'^*^%'»%'%%%■*•v%*'^^^^^'«,% -i ^t.^t-^^'&i %^'k^ * v» v%*'%*%*v*%w%-%%^*^»*%*%v* -v t 



—BUTTERFLIES, FECUNDATION, EGGS.— 

SEVEr^TH ACE. 

Only iliut Silk-Gi-owc;- \vli<) li;is liad ;i uood -;iic('os.s in the rearuiq 
[s:iy loo |!»^,. of corc.ijns froin I o/. of sccmI] should ])r()vi(l(' the 
ogirs forlli^' foih»\viii'r y(\n- : f. t tlio-.c who failed it would ho hcttcr 
to huy SiH'd a^niii rather thau to I'ajsc it fi-oui tiu; sieklv survived 
lai'\:i' and butterflies. 

For such |)uri)<)se must he chosen cocooiis of medium size (sk't'd 
on pau'c 5S) as Hrni in the )ni<ldle a-; al ho(h qw^-^^ closelv woven i)V 
\\\y Uaierpillars and with veiw tliin silken-threads, c()m})arativeiy 
heiiNV and perfectly linished. 

'['he cocoons must he examined one hy one, and must he ixentlv 
shaicen in order to hear the liiiht tliud caused hv t])0 pupa [ealied 
also cJn-i/.^aHs or auvelhi'] strikinir the walls of the cocoons, when 
shaken ; hut the shrouds that do not give any sound, after heiiio- 
shook, mu>t be disparaged, because their chiysalis is worthless. 

Double cocons, (See j)age 57.) those the least soiled, the * sha[)e- 
less and those 'too tight' in the middle must be also disregarded. 

It is well to raise (hnible the amouiit of seed v.-anted the next year 
because if the first incubatioii fads, by any unforeseen cirumstance, 
it can be i-epeated l>y using the rest of tlie seed which has not lieeii 
put all at once in the hatching room: besides it is always well to 
initiate sojiie new |)ers()ns into Silk-Culture, and when a few c<»"f''s 
are on hand they will tu.rn useful for any mentioned purposes. 

But it is the silk that is wanted and. . .well the grower will follow 
suggestions given oii page 13, and be repaid for his cares ; other- 
wise; his success will come to naught ! 

As a rule, from one lb. of selected cocoons (ncarlj^ 300) can he 

63 



SEVENTH AGE. 

obtained one ounce of perfect seed -perhaps one fourth more than 
the above amount can be obtained, but it is better to be 8tri<rtly 
rigorous in the selection of the parent, as here below, than to be 
careless, or 'stingy', and so |)re[)are unpromising seed for the next 
rearing. Tlie heaviest shroud ^vl\\ produce a female ))utternv, the 
lightest a male one. 

The chosen cocoons, iirst, must be tiioroughiy plucked of the 
outside web, or loose silk, and then inust be laid one after auoliicr 
on the new pnper of a well cleaned 'aiiy-siielf at a temi)erature of 
70 to 80— the higher the temperature the sooner the chrysalis be 
<*omes a butterfly, but a medium temi)erature suits ever better, to 
iarvce, chrysalis, and l)utterl1ies. 

Meantime the chrysalis (which is the form taken by the larva oe- 
fore becoming a winged insect) fonns itself inside of its shroud. U 
t>\muk> from the previous insect into an oblong aiid oval foruj, and 
its epidermis takes a golden hue in the tirst day of its mc-tamorpho^ 
sis; then becomes darker ixnd takes the outlines of a buUeiUv. 

AVithin eight days, if it is very warm, and tifteer; diiy>, if iho 
temperature is medium, the outlines become perfect parts and the 
chrysalis softening one end of its shroud emerges from it. 

The Bow/jix imago, aUhcmgh is endowed with perfect wing.-,, does 
nolo-lide in the air— p( rl)ai)s, JHw-ause its functions are limited only 
to the coiitinuation of the kind, and not to llw. sell sustenance': 
buttertlies, do not eat, therefore they uo not wander! ' 

At sunrise only, or tliereabout, the butUertlies conie forth. 
At tirst, they have damp and imi)tu-fect wings, but in a few 
minutes the wings take theh- normal ai)pearanee which is :— 

Healthy female butterflies are larger than the nudes, rather he.Lvy 
for their size, on which account they are almost stationary : their 
wings are of a pearl-white candor slightly shaded and ai'e alway.^ 

(34 



<SKVEN-T11 A«E. 

kept horizontal] J stretched, like in the following life-size figure: 




^^^i&^^ 



the wings and the other parts of ths body are evenly covered with 
a very light down. 

Unhealthy females have either ashy or a chestnut color, some 
times being dotted with a few almost un[)erceivahle black spots on 
the white ; others have an exceptit)nally enlarged belly, and others 
are crip[)led : more about these anoon. 

Healthy males, l)esides of l)ei!ig distinguished by their smaller 
size and same white color, are lively and with open and shaking 
wings ["called onward b}' desire'] whirl around their more steady 
companions. The wings of the male l)utterfly, when at rest, are 
diagonally lifted up from his body. The males are also particular- 
ly distinijuished bv bavins^ wider and lousier fi^elevs. 
See page 5H for drawing of !nale butterfly. 

Unhealthy males present the same characteristics of the unhealthy 
females, 'though more of the former might be almost wingless. 

Having described so far, it is now a short work to direct how to 
make the * 'choice of th(^ ti-test" for the Reproduction. Thence t 

A little after Sunrise the reproduction-roons is visited and the 
butteiiiies already united are gently collected, couple by cccaiile, 

()0 



a 
c 
th 



.<*>:VKN.T}! AGE. 

, . .1 o]v on H miner hud on a ^my (page 24) and 
, „, ,,„,,„., „.,eWrK. l,.vo, ,.e..... , n.nK,v.l, aU the sn.gle o. . 
then who.. ne,v cupl.s are scea a.uoag then, ,U .. . t.K u a, 

'^'■^:^;;^ i';,::: '^.S:' h;::'::;. -.ee,, cav^ea away, it uam-e- ti.a 

eu'::<:: ::.,.. o: a few. enu.es .ave.eeale..,,g.e,fo..w.. 
of a a.Ue., in ti,e ,-e,a-oaucti.,n n.on. Then if the fonue. are ,ua te 
,..s ,h<.v n,u. I.e preserved, Ueeause the next day there ,«,g.t. be 
„..j<,,.U;of female. andiftUeiaUerarenKaeW. tl.eya.o,nas^ 

Uekept;aad,an.,ean.ed.afu.rae..up,eof houvs...a.aa.h^^ 
which has already been ia the da.U roon,. Bat to preserve the UKae 
for the „.om.v pr...aar,oas ,sh .aid h. taken, other.v.se ne .:.. 
fatigue hin,self with his uaeeasia, shaking of -ngs and vo:. - 
,,.;„...,. Theref,,rethesa:K.r,,ua,e.ary.nalesso.,,d,ehe 
.s^nl! boxes, one by one, where tlu,v wdl be stdl un,.d ta. n...t 

*"'i>;S::';r:;:"edS"\!ow'aU the battertlies, .tncrge.l fron, .l>e eo- 

' •"^"" ,,.';• -u .st be ae-csarlv handled to piss throagh 
coons on the arst di\, mast ot, n- . 

the above described atteatioas, and in doing so the opportun ty o 
„..kotheehoieeisaffovh.d. Therefore, now, give away to he 
^„„,,,, ,U ..eddish, yellowish, ashy-olored batterihe. ; a.-ay al tae 
,,,,U ..Hl l,laek-spotte<tor... ; away all the dropsieal ones that ., 
UK>se with a swollen belly : awav those with one wn.g an th.^ wang- 
,ess,awav to the fowls all those withoat -feelers' or w.th one i«el- 
;,. those ^ith h.ss than C le:r< and *\: among three hundred hutte . '- 
are fonnd n.ore than thirty d,sea^ed and -imperfect ones it .s betua- 
to d.. awav with all of the.n and bay new seed rather than compro- 
Iv.se ,hc prospeets of voar i.ture rearing, wah eggs the pa.ee.. -t 



ISEVENIU AOB. 

which Avcnc iniporfoct, even only, ten p. r cent.* 

For easiness and eoo.K.my .ake, it, i..s \n:n du-c.-tod here,,, taal 
i:... .ele-ted eoc.H.ns should de .(..vud .m an 'airy-.helf ; but th.3 
.,ive.. hiu. is partieularlv go.,d for tlx.sc who rai.e a hu-e <,ua.,tity 
of 'industrial seed-, fo." «de or for distribution. But, Si!k-Growevs 
who provide for themselves .mly one or two oun.-es ot e;-s, ea» 
„soasn,all table, or ..nctin^rlike-espeeially when they prepare the 
i,„.rM,ed surface tor the reeepti.-n of the h.yin.,. l.utterflies, as bclow^ 
This is a..eon>plisbed bv stretehinjr one or two pieees of undressed 
„.u^.li„ (whieh, for the halh, [p. 41] is better than p.aper) on one 
or 1 wo sn.all trays, like those of page 24, and hung like a fratne 
fron, the wa!l-bul uplifted with a little prop under the lower pur 
..,d not slanting, like franu-s, fn.n. the top. These fnunes wdl 
.„.wer verv well to eontaiu eaeh fn.n. 90 to 100 lay...g butterfl.e, 
whieh wiUdeposit about 4.5 thousand eggs. 

So.ne butterflies wdl ren.ain united, even, longer than a day, 
...d'vet the .<2as have been found, as fruitful as when their pare-.t. 
■we,e ....upled; onlv. one half ..f an hour... JM >ke,n aJo.e any,.. 

As soo., as the females quit the .nales they .nasi be wa.ehed unt.J 
«,,K.n they have delivered then.selves, again, of sonte reddish bqu.d 
.hen the; must be taken, anew, gently by the wings. »nd p.aeed 
''Vh:i:r«t:"S^:r- - some of their supeH,oushttnn.s 
,,„U. ,hey a>e laving the eggs ; as this moist u,e would endanger the 
,,..,uhine's of the seed, it nn.st be preve.ttcd. This is aec<.mpl.shed 
, " . ,.,. „ t,„ travs- holding' tbe linen, as mueh as possd.le 
:;;d :;::u:uu;; the- butterflies- from the top. first. a..d not too 

sulre!. 'by disea-e-, the least ios, of Caterpillars, the lay.ng b,. e,- 

()7 



flic- can be allowed to hiy all tlicir eggs,' which will. be just as good 
a.s those laid earlier ; but when 'a few-' Caterpillars died before 
building their shrouds, then the butterflies must be allowed to lay 
foi- about 2(S houi-s oidy — the eggs laid after that lime coutainiuo- 
rather unhealthy life, as it has been found by diligent observations. 

.After the butterflies have done their duties they are abandoned. 

"Jndusti-ial seed" is procui-ed as al)ove : "cellular seed"' is pre- 
pared [)y i-earingeacii larva isolated in a little cell and then by exam- 
ining their eggs witii [)o\vei-full microscopes etc. As only few trust 
nnd can follow this method, wv do not describe it at leno-ht. 



'6' 



rRESEKVATIOX OF SEED 

The preservation of the Siik-Calerpillar eggs, or seed, is rather 
difficult and is as follows. Fii-st, they must be pr(;tected from mice 
and insects, which is don*e by susjx'nding the muslin whcj-eoii thev 
were stuck, from a ceiling, and by visiting them often. ISeoond : 
they must be kept from hatchiug before the leaves which they eat 
■have sprung forth. The eggs of the ^uiimals' cannot hatch be- 
fore having reached the eigiith month of their age, bec.aise the 
embryo of the little in.sect will not be formed before that time— a 
few hundred of them hatching much sooner, lu-vertheless. Now as 
the eggs, in this country are obtained in the latter paj't of June so 
it a[)pears that they would be rea<ly to hatch in March, when there 
would be no leaves. To prevent such a mi.vfuUhic w.v e"-<>:.s; must 
he kept in a dry room with windows .a the north. Air should circu- 
late freely in the roonj, also cold, but evenly; tiierefoi-e in a *c()ld 
wave' 01- wind-storm and at night half shut the windows. 

The eg<r> must be examined oft<'!i, and in Februi'av all the red 
yellow and di'ied ones must, l)e era>ed fnnn the linen. [See p. b . \ 

^^o^©'g^>/::J■o.Q■, -,0 o o <:< c.o,«f, 
08 



6^ va 7. -fc^^Mk^vft^v^^^^^ ^ %/i/i^^%%, \%^%%^^-^'-^^ ■:.-:.%%% %%%^ %%^%%% %\%%^'^% ■ 



^$^^#ifSf#^. 



The directions given to the present in this book are n\\ what is 
want'd [in a positive iva^] to knovv, in order to rear Silk-Cater- 
l)lllMr^ economically and successfuny. We did not give specidat ire 
infoi-niations ])ecause they are not necessary to 'practical' silk-grow- 
ers, hut are only practiced 1)/ 'experimenters'. Therefore we con- 
clude this FIRST PART w^itc the followinii- encouraoino; words • 

Those .Silk-growers who were scared at given positive and exigent 
teacliings imiy now reflect on the g]eat w^arning given by Mother 
Natni-e, whi-h ])rovides with many eggs certain species of beings (as 
to sny the moth of the Silk-C^iterpilhirs, which lay from 450 to 500 
e<xg:<) because their existence is veiy difficult to be presei-ved. 
Thence the probability to protect them from diseases can disappear 
for every atmospherical adver>ity or for neglects and nristakei* 
made in their rearing. Nevertheless, it must not be supposed that 
the C^aterpiilars are without possil)ilities of living; ill fact, it is al- 
most impo-^sible to destroy their short existence, when tliev enjoy 
it freely : niid although th(y peiish sometimes when kept captive, yet 
it can be said that they are rather killed by their breeders than de- 
stroyed by nature. 

Now the following information m!i:;it be suSjiont to v :.:oam<iQ 
all perons engaged in Silk-Culture:— 

1. 'aterpillars can live at a low temperature In which . :e they 



C <. > N L U S 1 O N . 

reiiiaiM in a comntose condition, and do not eat even for weeks. 

2. They can stand to a high temperature, when they devour 
Tnuch food and become ri/pe in a .shorter time. 

3. They cannot be drowned before having been kept at least 
three hours in the water. 

4. The rain does not hurt them, and when it rain>s, they d(» not 
p.at before the wet is evaporated. 

3. Neither gas affects them r.or sulphuric fumigations. 

Before coming to the end, this Silk-Culture Directory wishes to 
fiAT that it is better to take young Cater[>ilhirs from * experienced 
leading breeders*, than to buy even perfect eggs because ; one single 
hatching-room fitted out and out, is capable to funru-h in s[);-ing, 
*3ven, 1,000 families with young Silk-Caterpillars : but si"'i number 
of families require 1,000 hatching-rooms, completely o.itiltted, and 
1,000 experienced persons when they will hatch eggs themselves 
progressively, and after that they have been properly preserved 
from the time they were laid to when they are put into incubation. 

This last suggestion goes to show that the leading-firm, which 
distributes \^on nominal and eanj cojiditionsl^ the principal stock to 
«tart irell vSilk-Culture, and hin/es the produce for readt cash, may 
rncur a loss, (if it does not know the business, or if rh(^ S( ason 
IS unfavorable) but not the »ilk-growers at large. 



"«((®^^^^g^l»i: 




70 



APPE.YDIX. 



* 



The directions regardincr shelves made with "buildin": paper", 
dn-ections o-jveii on paires 17 and 19, should not be understood 
ag-ainst the foundamendal pi-inciples of this system. In fact ; the 
thick pa})er, being less i)()r()us than lumber, shoijld be perforated 
in order to be healthy, and if it is not so it will do more harm to 
the Caterpillars than any lumber shelf, because it will be a worse 
conductor of air. 



^)* 



There is enough of proof to hold that the Caterpillars are not 
destroyed by imaginary ravenous motes and vihriom [See II part], 
nevertheless we cannot be to stringent in asking, for goo<l success, 
that the utmost cleanliness should be in forced in rearing the Cater- 
pillars. 

For such purpose in the Old World, now that tho ^^aterpillars 

are fearfullv ravaged by diseases and untimely deaths, they use in 

71 



A PP E \ l)i X. 

wasuliiix and di^iiifectiiiir tic old rc/oms tlu* folio winiz: drug's ; soda, 
chlorate of liiue, sul[)hiir, saltpeter, suipliaric aeid, sea-salt, ox} d 
of iiianuaiiese, lime ete.. 

Now the liaie is a iiieeh;iaie;il eoiitrivaace used as white-washing 
of the rearinii' I'ooins, done in older lo smitv' the tei rii> c-invi^ihie 
vibrio)is [and Co.] A\''iiilst the olher dru^ir> arc uxhI to fnini^'Mte said 
rooms hefoi'c heu'lnninii" the rearinu", also to l)iasl the inona'lr,<, 
known, 'hv .Mipposition', to he hovei-in<^' all nroiind the room wait- 
ing for the eomirg pi:'V- ^^ <" make ae(;iia;iited cur readers 
with such happeiiing, ami now wi* will also write (h)>\ n one of 
the i)r()ofs spoken of in the i)ei!'':ining of this paraL:raph. ?\Irs. 
Parmilia Ohroninger, of Ilolden, Missou'/i , r-.M-eived, at tiie [)roj)e; 
time, in 18^3, nearly 20,000 \\n\\vj: Caterpilhirs. She had arraugri 
the necessary otitlit, dt'>er!h('d in the "oeginning «d" tliis !)ook, i'.i 
a well ventiiatefl and spa -ioas ro;»ai— whi<'h h.ad hv\}\\ ler";; unoc- 
cupied and neuieeted f.>r a lo.w" tim >. H 'ft).\' a!L she whitiMva^h.ed 
the room as a nnlle;- (»f eivraH.iess of coarse, and !)e('ause in t'aere 
existed many troal)l',M()m:' spiders -although there vv(re no -in- 
visible ravenous' atom-. X'»w the person from whom Mrs. C, aiel 
others, receiv.-d Catei'DJilars, h.iviug !)een tric-kod hy a lui'dilvr 
was unable to hav.' whitv'v i-liel hi> eoc )onery anl, exci'pl this i:n- 
portant j)reeaution, lie n.-eJ s^diilst !ie reared, all and even nt'>,<- 
kinds of ircvMition.'d drui>. Tnc re- ilt betwe;'n tiiese i)arties sf;u) i • 
thus: tlie lady, who rer.'ivel the little larve erirly iii Sp:ni r 
and cleaned her rooms witii iye and lime, grow over tifiy pou;idy 

72 



oy coL*:>.'>;is !):;t I'r.' ot.lioi w'.io !i;i:l no time to wliitewasli and wvnt 
oil wit'i funiigatidas and disinf(;claiits, was not iOAa to save with 
th'.':n, not OLJO sin.'j:le Cat(.>r|)iil-u' — ajiirr 'Hhe wet sea>;()n"set in. 
u:y'Ai tli(^ above cases s[)cak In' tho.nselves and do not need 



iu'v ev>nii-nent . 



+ 



In some States th.' leaves are t(;o fnll of v/ater beeaiise the 

Sprinii'-rains then.' as'e ahno-t [X'remiiai : if so, tiie leiives inast ^loi 

b ' driven to tiie Cato'-pillars as soon as gathei'ed beeaiise, altliongli 

they do not seem wet vet, they a;-e exeossiv.dy dam]) : thenee the 

iar\\e niisi 1) > fed always witii leave-^ eolleetcvl the previous day, 

and preS'i^rved, as already reeo'ii!'!i<mded. 

* *- 

Rntlerilies live not veiy^ long. The male ones, sometimes a little 
ovt.-r a 'Ae.'lv, the females even It) days, besides two or three for 
layirig — the .^(;oner the\ die t!ie ie-^s hope ean l)e ke})t in the vital- 
ity of the.r eiiirs. 

%■• 

When th^' Siroe [that is, the Soath-East wind] l)]ows, the hirvae 
mn-t be proteeted with the ntmost eare beeaiise it iias been ex- 
perieaeed that this pirtieLilar wiiid affeets tiie Caterj}iliars with 
dropsy aiid general n^lapse : to avoid sneii, ir must i)e closed, 
for the time t)eing, V'\^^vy apei'ture at tiie S. E. ; and when there 
are main' openings in tlie eoeoonei-y it is better to close, or leave a 
couple of inches o[)pn, those? wijerefrom any strong w^ind enters 
and alters the tenipei-ature. It is w(\\[ known, in this case, how 



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Ti( aves-Pickcrs 
Attt'ndr.nts. 
L'.. I'v's daily. ! 
i/v's ill each A. 
]^\'od^ in "24 h* s. 



ci 



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ffi K ^-: ci 






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a ^ ^ -^ 5^ .- 



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\ Sh(\<^ts of })ainM-. 

< Space iti sh Iv .sj _ :: - ^, - - 

-: Tc!iij)erature. 



^^ ^r. —. r-' '^ r;<t 



~r. 

TO 



r- 1 r-t CM C^X 



c?^ 






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: I)"s of each a^-e . | -^ -m :-: •.-- ,- :c r-i im :c -i- 
Moiiltinir days. 
• Days of life. 



•^:^f)Y 



-?Nl 



-»i^ lO 



it>- CO CTv — i — ^ 1-H 



•30V XSTTI^ -a.OV aNC)3:T;^ 



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IS ;:!: ^- 2J^ 2_3. 5l2* ?i^' ^ '^^"^ *^' ^ '''' .^i^_i_§i5^^^^ 



SECOND PART, 






BlSeiBlEi, ei BiSMBSS. iF 












FK9iM. 



'IK-n.' all suspicion needs inu.st be abandoned. 
All cowardice must, need be here extinct." 

Loivjjellow, 



It is wvW known that a!] org-niized beings go through certain ab- 
i;.orinal i^eriods, during their livt-s, which are '.'allcil diseases. 

Industrial I.arva?, or Silk Cater[)i:!ars, are thence also subject- 
to disorders ia the ordained parts of their body : bu';, ownig to the 
extreme small size (which nmong domesticated animals is onli- 
next to the honey-bee), to the present, they have been ke[)t out ot 
the caiesof the medical science, and at the same time ])eing so 
valual)le have fallen m the researches of speculative savants. 

These embroiled in deep sui)po3itions have pretended to suppress 
death giving out that a parassitical-m/cro^co/)Kv// l^-'j li^<^ was tht> 
cause of the most destructive ravi^ges-and the interested people, 
like a drowning por^oi t!i i' grasps at a straw, in order to rear 

81 



DISEASES. 

their larvae, accepted the theory v,nd 2Jaid...Jov 6ome jears to the 
•ipeculative school. 

Then the theory based on microscopic observation gave way. to 

modern physic ; therefore now the insects are studied by patologj 
and biology rather than by un'onnded parassitelogy. 

To be l)ri('f and avoid to eni[)l()y much s[)ace for the micro? 
copic controversy-, we will 2:ive here below illiistiation> with th« 
hii>potetical [)oints shown l)y the originatoi':* of ilie microscopic 
tinds — reserving to us the space for exliilMting the iir.lamatory and 
phlegmatic character (»f the more fatal distempers. 

1 / 

Hie contents of a fccnndcd egg, after iiaving been mash'- 1 
nnd spreaf] on a \)wvq of limpid g!a>s will appe^ir undvM- a ^^-vy 
pov.'crful microscope eitlier likv F.gure N. 1, or like X. '1 





Y\'s, No. 1. Fig. No. 2. 

Tae teachers aft^u" niLn'Oi -opy tell u^ thit Figure 1 contains 

82 



DISEASES. 

corpuscles [i. e. little bodies or physical iitoiiis] which can l)e only 

pr-'-.HHVpd '>v means of an instrument mao-nifving not less than 300 

' • • 

f )ld. W;v:- I this oh^orvatioi i^ ;)3.-f.)r n?d eg^^ e:icu;u')-:-ed with 
corpuscles do not show their protophistic matter shaped quasi 
like little dots I as in Figure 2] but among the dotted outlines 
exhibit a few ovoid, or oblong, shapes as in N. 1. 

Those shrides, or slsapes, scarcely covering the surface of a sq. 
l(3th of an in. — but a^ bodiless ns an umbnige, vibrate [and thence 
are called viuriones'] and therefore are [)re.-«umed to be I'nicrocosnis, 
or corpuscles which is all one thing. 

But: — Does not vibrate also the substance appearing like little 
tansparent d'>ts? 

Ix does : cither alive or dead it loos : a'ive, bv'cause it is a proto- 
plasm, deud because it is in metam<)i"[)liosis. \\'e will enforce our 
affirmation with the ex})res.si()ns of HEiiHEur SpfixcKi; ; — 

**It is not the rustic, nor the artisan-, n(>r the trader, who sees 
■*onlv something more than a mere jnatrer of course in the hatchinir 
*u\f a chick ; Imt it is the biologist, who, pushing to the uttermost 
•'his analysis of vital phenomena, renrhes his greatest perplexity 
*'when a speck of protoplasm under the iiiicroscope shows him life 
"in its sim[)lest form, and makes him feel that however he 

83 • 



D I S B A S ES. 

••formulates his prov'x^sses the iictual play of force;' remains 
• ' un i m agl n abl e . * * 

And if the dot-like sketch moves, trein'nh'^ or vi'orates, like tho 

ovoid one, wl)y the atomism is applied to tlie ellii)tic shapes and 

not also to the spheric ones? Is it perhaps because the microscop*' 

cannot "describe the organism of tlie s/fajj'^ which, only, it h:\< 
discovered?" 

AViiat are these parassitic vibrating atoms, or 'vil>:;ones' ?. Let 

us transalate the answer: — 

"Corpuscle-^ have a typical ovoiJal form [form noi hodij ! Ed. J 
which sometimes becomes (^itho* cylindrical or pyiiform. Tbci 
outline of these 'form.-' called cor])usclcs [i. e. little bodie-.'J is. in 
general, a little brown or dark, and at other times is scc.rcely visi)*>]<\ 
Their length ( w«'. rather say, the leiigth of these only visible j)vms 
and n.ot of tlie cor[)uscles) is. ahoiit one eigVst of ar. in. and the 
breadth is about one loth of an in. How thick X\\i.^^j are? Ge- 
ometry here must be fLiulty, wc have a 'holy' witii missing sides ; 

but let us go 0:1. The inside of \.\\q c()rpu.<.'Ic.> ( real not 'form.-/) 

is occupied by an aniorphu- pell leid slightly yellowish green lluid 
vv'hich isericlosed in a very diininulive bladder ; tlic weight of (real) 
corpuscles is heavier than the li ju'.d element in which they ' v". 
To tind out— hoar ! — what is Ihc^ir nature they were tiyed with 
divers chemicals, but no result was obtained. Th.-y, tlic eo/2)us;;;e.H 

84 



I) I S S A S ES. 

and not the fearful fonr.s, are insoliil)!e '.sither in hot or in ice 

vnter ; lUcohol, etlier, potash do not aff.3ct thesn and neither liquid 

miueral acids : ou the contrary, they are destroyed by condensed 

niinei-al acids..— — It i^ very clear tliat the ab(>ve can be applied to 

♦bodies', eve!\ intinitesinial, but not to vain unoriranized air bubbles 

or forms. 

•Lebcrt' i!:fi)r!ns tlial, real eorpuseles iii<iUii»ly S)j lissiparus 

(?eparations { wiiieli ue admit, Ov-curs to atoms existing in water), 
Vc'/son and Ilaberlandt say tli:vt it happens by scission, and M, 
Pasteur, d(H lares it to be l)y granulation (admitted for corpuscles 
iiving on solid matter; but what is attributed to the Jig ures seen 
<irlfj( a poire r fid microscope in the inside of a irer eyr/, rather belongs 

to (he different genera of atoms existing either in liquid or in solid 
substsiiK-es. 

So far, then, we have neither u vibrating corpuscle noi- a monade 

[i. e. a moving atom] in the crvr, \nit only a *sTnoptical appearence 
artlticially procured by means of a conpound instrument*, and 
thiTefore, any, so caUed, paiassitical havcK- bcTalling on the larva^ 
must be [)roved by dissection and not by an arlilicial examination 
— and 'guess work' al)out the eggs. 

Ikcause, it is clearly acknowledged that, although the eggs might 
bo affected as in Fig. No. 1, yet 'sometimes' they will produce an 
healthy brood, whilst the recommended chosen supposed unaffected 

85 . 



D IS 15 AS KS. 



tjg^'s, like in Fig. 2, will alsD 'som -timeo' prjJuce a d-yeasod rac > : 
"'Which i.s v/hicii," thoiia-htfiill rcader.s? 

II 

Let us dwell now on the vliNS('eliii<j" point ; — 

The appended Fii*;. re[)iesents | The apj/ended Fig. represents 
Che gelatinons silk-sul)stance eon- the gelatinous silk-substance con- 
tained in the bod v of healthv Lai- tained in the body of disea>ea 



v^te [see [). 0.] just before tliev 
build their shrouds. 



Laiv;e . betore they eithei- .spin 
it in a cocoon or die. 






/' 



Fiir. No. 3. 



Fig:. No. 4. 



In the above sketches it is easily perceive i that Fii;. No. 3 
m represented by a dear outline the inside of which is supposed 

8r> 



DIABASES. 

to coiitiiin tlic coaguhited resinous part of the leaves, is even and 
turgid thioiiohout , while the outline of Fig. 4 is oioken many times 
Uy little transparent bladders very niaeh in s'iai)e like the elear 
;itt]e /ormx .see!) \n Fig. 2, and rather thin. 

Now we liavi' little bladders indeed: wliat are they? are they 
<'orpu><desr ^\ v wdl answer tlie 'juestion soon. 

?vljantinie we call attention to the following: — 

We know that from supposed eorpusole-infeeted i'i:'^^^ a good 
snrcossfal race can descend, and that fs-om the sui)[)o-ed healthy 
r>nes miy, also, be expected the revci*^e of it ; but now we must also 
know that larv;e affected as in F:g. 4 c;in, sometimes, live and not 
o vv pr ) lii'e silk but also become butterflies, an 1 these butterflies 
UMW be with the little bubbles seen in No. 4 an<l may not be so ! 

() u* reiders will pardon us, w* iiop ^ because the stronghold of 
at^omism, on this sul)jeet, runs as explained above. But that i"^ 
not because the pimiacle of the 'theory' is reiched, when we hear 
expounded again, that the supposed infected bjitterliies may lay 
uninfected eggs while the heatlhy ones can lay them contaminated. 

This atomistic ])rineiple not giving the sought for relief to the; 
heart-rending misfortimes caused by the destruction of billions of. 
]>reoious insects, is too hard to be followed, and we look at the 
effecis of the distempers to study positive causes — from which wcj 
may try to learn and [jreven^ '...but, as yet not [pretcjid tol en re I 

^7 



DISJS A8 ES. 

All substances apt to putrefy becoine, whilst they eiiler into 
putrefaction, a fernicnt. The cntlfc reuini of organic; matter vvjieu 
*^xpose(J to a quasi heated air in a moist condition, more or less, 
rapidily 1)egin8 to ferment. **\Viiat [)asses in a state of cliaiig*; 
is called a ferment.** 

• The fermentation of solid matter is Mn ai)[)(aranee' rather simple: 
e. g. a fruit-calvr first undergoes a change of color, and odor, 
then becomes a littinii: object for .\h('olo<>v and becornin<^ darker 
putrefies and dries. 

The fermentation of li(|uid su')>tanc'os, instead of, is ratlier 
diffi.nilt to understand, but o r-e !i;iViiig a sus[)icioii aboat, it con 
be, aiso easily doteeted : e, g . \\\\\\^ lirsl acquire-! a slig'itly greenish 
color and ha>^ a sour taste [now ''actic acid' is pre[)ar]ng the 'feu-- 
mont'] then lias a rank .smell and litMe bubbles appear on its surface 
which at this stage is iu fnll fermentation — il)«.' i)iil)bles being 
effected by (-xpui'ion (>f 0x3 d c:iir<ed by tlu^ ac'ion of the 'fer- 
ment' — v.\\ e;it.u'> into [)airef;i 'lioi beoiuing foiniy an I fi'owzy. 

FETtME y T d )e-; uot enter into ehemical (-(Muposiiiou with 
the fermenting substances oj- its products. 'Acid fe;\uentation' Is 
being subdivided into acetic lactic', d)Uttiric acid' and }/iuccini\ 

DKCOMPOSinoN BY Aiii ANJ) w\\Th:u : — Coinplete 0:'ganic bodies 
are subject to oxydation and ,uMiinateiy. break \i\) into ovgMnie 

88 



D I S B Ag KS. 

compounds t-aruonic acid, iniinioiiia aud water. If this process of 
d<'<onipositi(»n takes place slowly, it is called f/ec^^/ : if rapidly 
ill the piebcnce of more water and witli the evolution of an offens- 
ive smell, jiiitrejiictioa : under similar circumstances, when the 
product is a useful compound, friim^ntation. 

Most of the abijve definitions are axioms ([uotiMi from standard 
medical hooks, in order to praticaliy connect the following diagjiosis 
of the most destructive diseases of coinmei'cial Laiva^. 

But it must he also ex[)lained — previous to come to a closer 

larirument — what is the link existinii l)etween catei'pillars and plants. 

V Every plant ( hehig inhal)ited hyN several >pecies of larvae, that 

'i consume its leaves and buds, stems, trunk, roots, sa[), and even 

Uhe old timber) has a capillary system of soins which contahis 

kheir orsfanie tluid, or .so/;. Thi:* sap is a chemical compound of 

liquid substances and atmospheric gases (resin, sugar, water, azote, 

[and oxigen:) and is subject to two periods of change. 

1 Some plants shelter and feed more than one species r)f insects. 

'|-»ut only one s[)ecie in each [)eri()d })receeding the c/ian/je.—lt has 

|il)cen already exphiined that "wdiat passes in a state of * change' ig 

i'aWed/ermeiit. — So, ^. g. the tree-hoppers, cri(!kets, gilded-dandy 

t'lc, follow each othei by turn in 'sampling' the different tastes 

acquired in different periods by elm, plum, (he'ry, and apple-trees 

89 



D I SB AS BS. 

Upon which they thrive. Now it would hv unnatural to feed a Hon 
on hay and an ox on flebh ; thence it wouUl he just as much unna- 
tural to 'keep hack' the o.gir^ of the Silk-Caterpilhirs in order to 
ha^ch them when it is more convenient to the hreeders — /. e. when tin* 
leaves are faii-ly grown — because the inset-ts couhl not partako 
of the fre-^h juice of the phint to which the}^ Jtrc naturally destined. 
Now Larvjc are very voracious because their stomacs are incapai)h5 
to dissolve their food but nio'ely extract from it a juice : thein'c 
they never drink any water ()l)tain!!^ir tlieir necessary moisture from 
the leaves which they eat, no matter liow dry they may be. Thl^ 
teaches that, if the Calcrpillars eat wet leavf.^s they fill themselves 
with an adulterated jiTrce, and it tliey eat leaves after the trees 
have underixone a climacteric, rhanr/p they devour fermented fodd, 
what is still worse, because its juice cont:iins the fermetif, which 
enters in their very simj)lo or<:uiiiz:ition and causes them to decay. 
When the trees are in sap they recjuire a constand t(^ij)graturc to 
allow tb.e juice to circulate in their capillary channels ; MiouTd a rain- 
storm is followed by hot sun, we see the stems of flowers bend down 

and often without raising up again What is that? It is the 

action of the rays of the sun on the moist condition of the platits, 

an action which heats the volalil azote of the leaves and causes 

^ tlie sudden tnniinrj of the sai), which means colhipse and prompt 

putrefaction. On the tenderer pi-oductions of the vegetable kindoin 

9() 



I) I S 1 A S E8. 

the sudden, or cliinactenc tuniin>j (wbich is not the natural c/ia/i(/«, 
and often is tn^t-n fatal to plants) is destructive us above, but 
stroiiger |ji:i )ts and trees, althoujch they will survive the effects of 
the atrno^|>h««r;c ohange, yet they will have 'turned' J*ap which^, 
by deirr€'es. affects tiieir limbs AWii leaves. 

The disorders of the plants are more cx})rieitly drawn in admin 

;■ isUM-ing their jui<'e to L irvie which we know to be alimented by it. 

As early as tlie budding time we may have hatched one or twa 

deposition of Siik-Caterpillars eggs and feed the issui^d little Larvtr 

witii th^ yoiinj buds. The insects, being only about SOC, and part- 

I akinir of the liquid of leaves connected with themselves by degrees 

. of lieat, quaV.ty of moisture, ccmtact with the air, and age, prosi>er 

I hkp all jrrub* do in theii- wild natural sLite, and grow in the ratio 

of growth alh>wed to vegetation— ind share with it tlie different 

\ graduation (»f eiiioroscence which an healthy plant undergoes; but 

! if the efflorescence is turned into deli-piescence by bad weather 

! and fermentation, even the small number of Caterpillars, above 

quoted, will be subject to it because their vitality, mostly derived 

j from the juice of the |>iant upon which they thrive, will be just a.^ 

much struck by the 'change' as the plants and leaves have been. 

Here, perhaps would be useful to otate the density (>f the fluid 
found in plants before and after turning ; but the connections about 
the leaves having been lengthy enough for the support of the object 

91 



D I SK A S Ej*. 

; we can now pasb to the topic of this Second Part. 
' Caterpillars breathe by ,ncans of t^vo tubes that extend along the 
sides of the body and give out to each abdouiinal segment or ring 
two branches called spiracles, and these, througli the stomata, or 
breathing holes situated, (and looking like litttle spots sur- 
round.>d with a slightly darker siiade ) at the side of each nn-, 

inhale and exhale air. That the little brown .spots are the real 

respiratory organs, is proved by ])utting oil, or any greasy sub, 
stance near theije air-holes, the co'isequence of which will be i.. - 

mediate death by suffocation. From these tracheae also pass 

out many littl.; tube, that en:e a ; p trts of t!ie body, even bctweui 
the muscles, and so aerate or rather "oxygenate" the blood. 

Evciy Caterpillar has stoin:ich, he-art, inte>tii]es and two ]o,ig 
terpentine organs, like Figure No. 3, which extend to the hind part 
of the body, and theiuv' back to the neck, wliere they op«n at llie 
inferior lip. Those tubes contain, a. already said, the substances 
which the animal u.es in spinning,:^^^,vhie:j is yeih.w or white 
--according to t!i. fo . I it tak 3s-, a-i 1 u;).:i this also, depends" 
the fineness of the silk they make, in the same manner as thecpiality 
and color of .butter deper.ds upon the food ef the cow. 
: The juice contained in said tubes i^ nothiiig more nor less rh;.i. 
the juice absorbed from the leaves aud as these contain the li.piid 

1>2 



DISS AS ES. 

es-'Cnce of refill, $o we tind it in th^ .silk-repository — when in a 
)>r:)|>er condition i.e. not in :i 'fonni^iit' — refined in a consistent 
kind v)f pa-^te, or varnish, which would be soon ready to pass 
throniiii the sfjitvieret situated under the lower lip of the insect, to 
])e congealed by c:)nt;i;-'t of :i:r a i I y )vyd [ i u co^o:)!. 

So much ex])Iained, we will make ca[)ital of it to conclude that 
the existence of commercial larvai depends ; — 

I. From the statua of the food from which it is derived : 

II. From climacteric ehani^cs which can strike the insects 
with ferment directly, and not by the action of the aliment ; 

III. By unwise or careless 'rearimx.' 

I Here it may be stated, for the support of No. IF., that if a Cat- 

I erj.illar is puv under water, or alcohol, air l>ui)bles will be seen issu- 

\ inix from innumeiable minute hoh^s in all parts of its bodr : and 

I ^ 

i when the skin is taken off from the insect and held up airainst the 

I . 

I light, the holes may be distinctly recognized, and the whole skin. 

I *appears as if it were perforated with an iinmense number of fine 

I 

p -ic.is.* — Which shows that larv;e live in an ocean of oxygen which, 
I bathes all their external as well as internal organs, and that, when 
fermentation intervenes, it caii invade the little creatures not only 
by contaminated food, but also by entering through the •stomata' 
and the said large number of pores, which pierce the derma, or skin._ 

93 



DISK A S E§. 

From this it must be also estahlished tliat, the little bubbles ^eeu 
in Figure f(nir are caused by the expulsion of oxygen from the 
general system of the insects — oxygen expelled by inHammation, or 
ferment, vvhit-h turns the blood and the silk-paste in phlegm. (»r 
mucus, i. f. state of 'decay'. 

, It appears t Ink when the *resiiious substance' is coagubitcd iiiio 
«ilk-varnisli by tiie oi'ganic principle of the Larva^, and not by 
tiie atmospheric influence, it is al)und;nit. :unb(M-like, odorb'S :snd 
rather firm : but when it is atrotied by the affecting influx, we do 
not see a real silk-varnisli. but only a [)ale slim, more or less, viscid 
inuck in a decaying state : and wc nlso see that when tin' \a eather is 
imfavoralile tlie viscid luunor poncLrates all parts of the Caterpilhirs' 
body l)esides corru|)ting and diminishing Uie congealed silk situated 
in the ser[)entine tubes. 

Then again ; the moj'c saul essence has become fermented-virus 
8(^ nuK^h the more su-lden is the dissolution of the infected insects. 
The density of the inucus then, (density analyzed from the various 
had atm(»s))heric inHuences) de'-ide- svliethei* the larvie shall dii' by 
decay or by {)utrefacti(;n. [See page S-l] 

The subject can b^ argued at grctit length but, this mach is <uf- 
ficient as an essay, founded on pathological observations, for cal ing 
the attention of enlightened breeders. L'it us now specify : 

' 94 



DISEASES. 



Oiseases, io OetaiL 



To l!io prt'sfMit we huve evi)Ived this nrgiimesit by coiincctions. 
now Wi^ devolve it by illustnicions — 

The — ineiirabie — diseases are: 

Biii'stiiii!: up, Flux or deeay (the 
hitter ca'Ued also '-llaeeidity" or ''tlatuess" ) eaused by the uii- 
seas()nal)k' or turned food, and l^utref.ietion, or (ianureno, caused 
l)y dirtM't I'iiniaeterie iniluenees : — 

l)i;!isT!\G. — Wiien egi>;s are not hatched at pro[)er time and young 
[ hu-\';.e arc fi'd with U'aves abojt umi divs ohder than thianseives thev 
I will i)e >(rnck with sudiii'ii acrimoiy [l)y reasons given on i)ai>"e i)l] 
^ evi'ii in \\\r\v first age. The C;il(M*[>illars tluis affected at this time, 
I Witlion! showing any sym[)tom, suddenly nijiisrat the up[)er part of 
j liscii- b >dy t'xpeiling from it a rather den>e d irk-yellow humor, 
I find in h's> than one hour die. ^-* Tiie black spot on this cut 

i; sliows a litlh' hii'va affected a> -, \ above. Feedinu-with tendei- 

e.- 0,1 F ;n iv stop i) irstiiij:, b it !'/ on their fourth age, they Ml 

also, fall j)!'ey of the follovving t-' disease, because the juice of 
their food-plant will, either change soon, or be too substantial to be 
a-simihited by them. 

Flux, or Dkcay. — If the Caterpillai's are fed with turned, or 
feriuented leaves, Ihey wiil not die suddenly but will linger on un- 
till their next moult pouring slimi'. yellow or white^ nuie-is from the 
^kin, besides they become thinner and slenderer, then end their life 
in i)taek gangrene i. e. 'putrefaction. 

This disease strikes the insect-^, mostly, near and after the 
foarth moult. In this case they, either do not shed their skin or, die 

9o 



whilst chaHgmg it. But, .-it the firtst stage ot thoir decaj they do 
not show by any physiciil sign tlie approaching soouige ; yet it must^ 
be always surmised when the caterpilhirs grow thin» Mmeven', not. 
>>hownig the shade described for each nge and day in this book and 
positively when they, while young, ranibie al)out, huddle together 
mostly on the west end of the shelves and throw themselves, or fall 

on the floor. Fig. 5, illu.nrales a Urva ai)pro{iching disso^utioii 

after the 4th moult : P>ody smaller than its age requires ; frouxv 

yellowish matter from bodv and bespattered around ; little hornet 
on hind k\^s Mhibby and black', bottom of proj)s, or le"';^ also bU -k. 








FiiXni 



e .). 



Ganguenk. — Sometimes l.;ie insects prospj^r and look absolute! v 
well, but the leaves will b; sp )ih; 1 wii.h Ute d('^-an i.^un, or the 
Sout-East wi id blows, [[).ige 73] and then th^y— at any nge, awl 
even while they a-e seltlingto weave fwir shrouds— drop unnerved 
burst and die — ill their bo ly becoming, \p. \o>h thtn one hour, 
Ro much advanced in pu'.refactoi to de.iotft th^t its conteiits' 
have been suddenly turnelina fu":nl«iating giiigJ^en? [the gani^- 
rene enters into inllanm itio!i^ like the ery^ipela-* ] or .^pr)p}?'x:v. 

In all the above cases, if t;ie Citet pillars liiiger aid do not re- 
cover within three daySi^r^^in which tirne they should not rece. v ■> 

food and be ^changed', even, twice a ihiy 'hey can be thrown 

away, because their desease i> iull leuoe i bv -ferui^nt* ir'ii^^h, if it 



IM) 



D I SK A S ES. 

has taken hold of plant^-; and leavc'> will not coase to ravrriie the 
larvje to the hist one of tiiem, hut if it is hy atnio.spherie disturb- 
ance^ it may disai)[)ear within sueh time. 

T'le ahove are the ni(jre destruetive distem[)ers of the most ase- 
fiil liitie heinu's. Their origin is eh'at, and tiierefore let us try to 
avoid, at le^'T a>; niiicli as wo c;i!!, :i!I pnistakes leiidinii: to strike the 
Caverpiliars with 'feriioia' even worse than that eaused hy clinia- 
eterie eahumtoiis disoriiers. 

riiere is )\ > need to dcchire, iiere, tliat we do not reeoLT'iize the 
Siik-Caterniliar diseases as eontaaio.is, 'thon^lj they are epidemieal 
uhen the juive of their food has been altered — either b}^ ferment 
or bv eongehiiion. 

• 'i'hc — avoidable — deseases are : 

' 'Red disease', Atrophy, Vomit, 

I S lifoL-atioi!, Diarrhea, Typlais, Dropsy, Janndiec, Asphyxy an I 
>'(ai-linii: '', these disorders beiuir caused aNo by the i)rineiple of 
ferment, vriiieh in the latter eases has been started by in[)ro[)er 
m liiai'ement : — 

Kko djseasi:. — The ins(H'ts, just issued fron) the eixirs, api)ear 
reddish (it has been p.iude mention on p. 4:>) if the egvii-s have l)een 
h U'.'lied ^vitl) toa high artificial heat. Wnen not thrown awav they 
j g!'t)W affeeted with the following (li,;ease and die. 

Atrophy. — It is closely connected wnth the 'incurable' dkcat, the 
only difference betwe(Mi both being that the latter is caused by the 
E'cments whilst the foraiL^r is p.- > I i -ed by overhv.iting of eggs, not 
fo ) 1 enough, too minv leaves at one time, crowding, uneveness, 
not- enough of air, too rank Ieive> to young larv.\^, too tender to the 
older ones, not 'changing' and 'ill other carelessnesses. Caterpillars 

97 



DISEASES. 

affected with Atrophy [/. e. wasting of the ])ody — caused by bad 
rearing] may recover sometimes, })rovided that tliey are better and 
ueater kept; bat they neither ca.i give a good i)roduet, nor c;ui 
be recommended for reproduction. When suffering with this dis- 
order they ai-e not bvely, dj not moult at given time, eat less, look 
slender and t'leir color is not [)earl-white but rather ])ale-v\ hite juid 
seems shaded with dust. 

V(»iiT. — Leaves \varme(i up by the sun, or heated in ;.he bags 
for gathering tliem, cause vi.inii. Feeding should Ix; stop[)cd at 
onc^^, and fumigations of sulphur must be i)r()duced in the loom 
untill the vomit is stop[)ed, tlien ilie animais are changed and i'vi\ 
with i)etter leaves. Sinne iar\:e may ilic witii this troul)le which 
is plainly seen in the green sp()i> uiih which thei)apei' is soih-d, al>o 
the body and, esi)ecially the he;id and mouth of the Calei-pi. lar>. 

Sl'FFOCatiox. — When the leaves, 'oy being exposed as above, be- 
come witheied aiul are eaten hy the hungry insects, jilso w In ii 
tender buds are given t(» grown insects or o.d leaves to little ones, 
they are straiigied in vomiting. The }>r(^cautions set down again«<t 
Vomit shouhl be practii-eil in this case. 

DiAmiEA. — It is em'oraced in the two last eom[)laints ar.d should 
be treated accoidingly. IJut when the Cater})iUai-s are fed with leaves 
not preserved foi a day, oi' so. and the season is a wet one, it is im- 
jiossible for tliem to assimilate the thin juice, and therefore they 
get also sick with this disease: in this case a little umadultei'eted' 
Hour s[)ringled on the leavi's wili do good. 

TviMirs. — Extreme feebleness causes the Cateri)illars to liave 
*purple spots* especially on the head and around the ^'breathing- 



D [ !s !£ A g E8, 

hole^^. Undoubtedly 'fenutni' in the leave:?, on tlie littens and, eveiu 
in nil uri-iiitiible room foi* eoeooners-, beecnniiig virulent, eauses thf 
u s-.i'-e. It U AW in"t?pai"al)le oiu- — uiiuoa.;*! the L:n"vni affected with 
iu s()iuetiin«?>, .spiii, !)ui, only *j»a-<sM[)lc' eoeoons. Typlius is ruthcj- 
aii i^xicptiOi.ai Uiiilady tinin a ;;:eneial on^ : when they are struck 
they will be seen dead and dicing as in the fuiiovving Figures. 

















Figure 6. 

The above shows a dead Cjiterpillar hiving across a twig o5\ the 
hrft ; another dead one hanging by its snout on the right : a dicing 
o «f at the Hnderpart of right branch and anotiier dead in the co- 
ciJOii above after hriving become a Crysahs. The cocoon is badly 
%<):ied black, and in the skins '>»f dead insects is found only a black, 
<lerajc'd liquid apt to come forth at any moment. 

When the (.'aterpillars are doomed thus, it i^ genei'allj' said that 
iAiff die with the 'black scourge' — which really denotes the effects 
=»nd not the cause of the disease oi' the disease itself. Sometimes 

1)9 



D I S S A S ES. 

the body of dead hivviv does not dissolve, as on previous page, hjii 
solidifies: then it is said that they died by calcination — in Italia,} 
calcbiOy ill German, PllzHVcht, in. French, Muscardtne \ the last t^v* 
appellations implying that the insects are 'sueked-hj'-fiingi, o- 
killed by 'moss'. This theory i)revailed when the theory of tlu< 
atoms was np : but obseivalions in another line pointed out thtir tiic 
fungi or moss discovered on the destroyed insects were the outconje 

and not the cause of })ntrefacti()n. Then, to be short : why should 

fungi and microcosms i)e the rea^o i of the tr')u!jle, wheii in. ail the 
.Caterpillar' s disorders the inflammation, followed by gangrene, is 
positively [)erceived in more or less degrees ot destructi\'e })()wer? 

l)KOt\sy. — When the .eavi's contain too much li(|uld, i. e. when loo 
much rain prevails, and also when the insects are weak as in De.;.iy 
and *Atro[)hy' this disease will ap:)ear. In otiier word^ ; -vhen the 
Cater[)illars are b-adiy fed and a/e not relieved by vomii o,- diairliea 
they will swell, bect)me grec.-ii^h anrl shinv, tlien bur-^t liiro^vinu: a 
green-yellow licpiid and die. Tnis di.-ease is also much akin with 
^Bursting' : bnt while the latti'r is unforeseen, the former is caus^dl 
Open ail*, and remedies given in \'omit, if used in time, will help. 

Jaundick. It is very common and genei'c'.liv unknown here: a 
short anecdote m iv shovv this, hett^M*. Mr. *** <»f ** in showi sg 
his knowledge jibout tlie rearing of the 'Worms' once said to the 
wi'ittn- ; — "I ffJ())ir i-e.ired SO ()()() of them last year. I raised them in 
*'a garret without window-, and fed them sometimes once a {]•{}■ ! 
"Thev, all, ijrew si)lendidlv aiui, wlum they were near spmninic 
,,they were full of silk measuring one inch and three (j. around and 
''nearly four inches in length. They climbed the bru.ij to spin, and 

■ 100 



DISEASES. 



*vither split open .'iinong liio twi^s or drojjped from them and, pom*- 
"'hv^ veliow Hiattei" fioiu rracA-.s in the skin. died". What was thi> 
(:<><»!• of the Citerpillai-vS Mr. ***? iv was a heHutiful yellow coU)!*..., 
Lifvjie mre never str ick with Jaundice in th« tlrst ages : when so, 
they are usl likt those describtd hy Mr. *** *. e. like the foHowing 

V 




Figure 7 



What is it 



*os.si'>lvit is the re'^liK.us essence altered in a dens© 



viscid substance instead of to congtilaic in an elastic one. Kee[)inf' 
th^' inse. :s n vt aired enough, fe?J:;ig them with wet leaves, and not 
nUowing iheni plenty of space cause^ it. As soon as discovered, 
the Cat.', i-iiiiars ;s!)'>ul(l he moved in ;i hirger roon) and be situated 
o J morf- si)p|Tes. They will spin a light produce If tfiey do not die. 

AspiiTXY. — The Larvjti struck with asj)liyxy will appear alive al- 
thoagh ih^y may have died a couf)le of hours before. Want of air, 
Hud sultry weather will do it. I5y closing windows in the rearin"-- 
room aiijai of Asphyxy can be quickly had. [See bottom of p. 73.1 

CuHLiNG. — Avery few growii Larv;e, in every I'caring, instead of 
climbing on the cottages, their pi ops having becom« scalded-like, 
or -^ore, on the litters, shrink and curl up like in F\<x. 8 ; thens 




Figure 8. 

bcrome worthleiis Chrysalides without weavii:g cocoons ; bat if thej 
lire imprisoned in a small box or each in a little cone made with 
paper they will spin medium shrouds. 

101 



D I S E A Ji K8. 



Bl'TTERFLIES' Diseases. — Droj^sv is the oniy well dcsignaled 

Disease of the huUertlies, ])eeMu.-e, when ill wich it, they plaiiiiy 
show its indications, wliieh are : deep gray eolor ; largely swolira 
belly ; dark wings : almost motionless ; oiten unfruitful etc. \>.d 
although this diseases shows itself without diiiiculty, yet it must he 
adjuitted that l)uttertiies sometimes are also affected with Typim , 
or •hlack-scurge': in this case, as tliey had no power to deyelo|) inso 
ti c()ni[)lete perf«^,ct instct, so their wings are short uneyen and ciii^- 
pled, whilst little black s[)()ts of fluid ap[)ear nrar the -stomatn , 
the up[)er segments of their body and on the wings. 'J'hese sixu.v 
were the vital hunnn', or blood, of the insectts ; this liumor not 
hayinji" the density possessed by iioaUy blo')d, and tiniiing relajjsed 
the poi'Oiis system of a weakned buUerdy dripps out and, coming ie. 
contact with the air, a-vsunn's tiu' unlu'iiilhy color, liiis explains 
wliv aL the al)norriial butterHies should !>e disregarded for repro- 
duction [)ur[)()^es, as it is (•x[)lained on page GH. 

The fc/ilowing infei-ence may bv.' fairly drawn from all the inform- 
ation contained in this Treali>e; — 

1. .Silk-C:iteipiilars, although reared indr/ors, to [)rolcct theni 
from birds eu-., yet lliey ^iiouid i)e iroated as if they sliouiU ix? 
living in their Natural biali-. 

2. Considv'ring that lliey camiot be neglected; that the atten- 
tions bestowed u[)on them are bgnt instructive and piL-asing; that 
hii'ed labor /-s A/'/A, and that atmospheric iiiilnence may Jiurt the 
in>ectsi^""no large ca[ntal should he invested in vS:ik-v,-ulture, bat 
instead of, a iea>onable numbei' of larvje should be reared by intel- 
ligent persons — wiio have •lime to spare' aiul accommodations. 

3. A fortune cannot be made in growing siik : 3 et if the mem- 
bers of "a family at lei>ure'' can gam [say] $40, in a little over a 
month, and at iiome, and if 1.0(H).0I)0 families gr(»w silk here a 
new wealth of $ t(*,()i),OdO, -primg up from nothing, can enrich the 
honest and willing [)eopie of liie V . S. 



-.,^< 



IVir^^a'd)))" 



1(52 



GENERAL TABLES. 

OiH» onijce of eggs of Ciiterpillai\s producing jellow 

cocoons, contjiins about ". .40.00Q 

*» ,, Japanese breeds contain al)out 60.000 



The produce from cacii ounce of c<^- caii l)e estiniatea thus ; — 

yeUow breeds Japanese breeds!» 
Very good .... .... \hs. i:\o lbs. 120 

Go(Ki * 100 - Hb 

Medium ** 75 - 00 

Poor *' 45 "■ 30 

On a })roduce of (.'ater[»iliars nr eggs U)st or dead are 

lbs. 135 '' J^ *• fi-oni 

44 100 4* 44 4. 44 

44. 75 4» 44 .4 .4 

44 45 44 4. 4. 4. 



Average price of 
fresh, yc^iiovv cocoons 
•• Japai eso *' 
drij '* 



3.000 


to (kOOO 


5.000 


8.000 


15.000 


18-000 


25.000 


27.000 




Price per lb. 


• 4 4 k 


45 ct5. 


k k 4 4 


28 cts. 


44 4 4 


$1,10 


about 


255 cocoons 


- 


31>5 



One lb. of fresh yeUow cocoons contains about 
'' Japanese ** 

*Tiiree lbs. of fresh cocoons will uuike one of dry* ( I) 

If the sveather be very hot ( 78 d. ) will weigh lbs. 

C after a day \)\C ^ oz. 

One hundred lbs. of cocoons } after five days 97 

( after ten days 92 \ 

O aire hedoe fencing: a sq. acre can furnish food for 60.0*JO Larvie, 

One butterfly lays from 393 to 5H> eggs. 

i)5 Butterflies lay about 45.555 eggs some (/f which are imperfect. 

One yellow cocoon has at thread about 1.000 feet in length. 

Any other information on this subje( t will be cheerfully given 
b}^ the author. 

103 



GKNKKAL TABK^ES. 



TliohradofaC^terpillar that has Just cast its «kin is, at least 
r/four tinier hirgcr than it was ])efore. 






ATtei the hrst moult '* S »* 44 

*' second ** it 15 ^ : ^^ 

*' third '* »' :>(^ 4« 

** fourtli '* *' 42 4< ,4 

In full growth '» 5(^ ,4 



One n>r Caterpillar welohs fvnm 75 to 80 Grain.- 

** female Butterfly " '* 28 *' '59 »* 

'* male * ** .4 1 r. 



15 »* ;>Q 



'HE END. 



KM 



«i 



sii.E-sei.i5ii mmm^fB mmMmwi, 

m lississipp! Vallev Sil'^eiillers Enterpiise. 

WHAT IS IT ? 

♦ 

Thi' iiinis of the Finn knovni us a1)ove are the foUowing ;— 

1 ]'t intends U> establish l.ere Silk-reeliiig-nnlls, and to do so, i5 
i^ ,M.nsin<v and o.ranai-/ing the whole eountvy for >aisin,.i- a yearly 
silk-evo,, :"inn.orts' of n.h.Mk \u 1880 were: *12.()-i4,>;|)i) : ,m- 
portsof n,anufaetured-siik: *:!3,n(.;>,4.;() : fnnn latest offieial statm- 
ties and, fv',:rei^ tell fad. heiU-r fhnn wonU.' 

'.> KnoVin- that a yearly silk-erop can he grown here ( as .5 
cvj'lVnied inliie -Silk-CluHure Diredory, and not with extravagant 
o"utl'>ys")the Director of the Finn is ofi^ering every indueenient 
to lead int.. Siik-CuUin-e ail uiliing persons, without •■harging then> 
under anv pretence whatever! , , • , 

•• !|^:iiUAnd it has REAl) V CASH to buy tie. pn.duee raised 
unaer itrnmna-enient, and wii h i s supplied starting-stock 

i. Said Fii'uialso enroll, in a v:o.,K.rat>ve Co. ad those who 

«To\v .ilk. as above ; , , ,. ■, , 

. Tl. coonerators of the CompailV in-ing entdu-d to d,v,d,:rh 
wiOK.nt Unvin-'anv .Krk, when the bu-iness is fnlly estabhsh<.i; 

(; The' number of cooperatois. or members ot ilns to., to be 
limit.d e.t not over one th.n.sand for the present and to be a:,lo>„t.d 
when the possibilities of the Co. a.re fully develoi-ed : 

7 So if this Co. supplies raw-silk enougl. within one. two or 
,hn.e years, and this .silk is reeled at the Company', nulls, all us 
n,end,;rs will be entitled to FfFTY per ernt of the A A f pr<,hls 
ea.rr.e,i fr.un the sale of the reeie-I-silk ; the other iifty to go to tne 
a<ivancem.mt of the silk-manufacturing business and to Uie capital 

emnloved to start with. . n i 

S. "The above luh- is also applied if the sdk-looms .^nah bo 

started in due time. 

., TlK- present management of the M. V. b.-C. C. reserves is 
rid>ts to employ, i" it« hrauches, o",ly nuv.ulKU-.s who are capable 
to perform some spe-ial duties, for tiie;)usine.ss. 

10. .\greed that the interests of the M. V. S. -C. C, which i.s 

1 



ilt£"CBllCll MKa€f0ET's gCFJ-iSMEIT. 

li. \et the mon.b,.r.,„f tho Co, ra:, a.k ,.,:, aeeounti..^ of tl,« 
!'".s.n(««, ,f ,.,y frnud uill ho ad.an.cU into it ■ '" 

_ U' So ,,f the .«nnng.s are abov; ik, «-hoSc exp<.ns<>s_,l,„.e 

and no ,i,v,de„d,s are paid, the Teal o.stato' of tl.o Co l;., , 
seized and .^aiiiis a.sse.....ed thei-e(,f. 

I-!- liMt the l,usi„e.s.s "if „„t a.nenahle und.r the a!,ov. artieie 
is uiaheiiabh, and belou-s r„ its nre^eit rir>,t „ „. 

*..».:„;';^;;;;;::m;/;^;j;I,;:--;«::- ^ ■'-""- 

roi'AUTMCis. ou !;K.Mi-,Kas OF riir, cohvxmt. 

1. All persons l!„t hav,- ..,-oo,„, fa,.i!_v help, h.kI ...a.-e or eu!- 

vated ■,u.,be„,-r,.ee.- (as exph,ined in ou,- ,uide-bo<,U ,h- i) .v e . 

^^ ^ -Hi -,.a^e the;n.,..!v-e, in ,nnvi.g silk boeo.ne u,erd,e f 

this Coiiipanv. "•■...oi.is or 

2. The men.ber. are univ tho«. who ,s„l„eWbe the ••a.n-.euient 
fonu , and not each person b.i.M.ging to he,- o,- his fan.Hv 

... 1 hey are enlith.d to f ally on. h,,!f of the earniH.^. of th« 
Con.pany, as .rat,.i on previ„as v„. -._,, u. aiyia.d ^n, , . I 

lU 0,(.U, ean I.e yearly d.vided anu.n,. twenty th.Hr.and nunnbe-s 

4. In ••earnn-. ,t rs nient the profit, aeernrd hv means of the 
busuies. „,a,,a,^en,en, of the (\,._.,/;>, /,„.;,,, OOrcnV 
i/." cowor/i^r:. !'.,r ready eish fi,^ ,. , ., , • i V ^''-^'-f-lH from 

■'• i5atto snare mine «l,„.-e. no.v undeveloped p.oduee thr 
li'onibers of tiu» Co. ninst !,e yearly Sii'--. I'-"J^lc, the 

.iveup,nea.eof.,ne-fai.are;;;t"d-:7c::;::^^^^^ 

J- i«s,d. ; tiu.y in.nt n,a.. k r„vn S.ik-Onltn.-e an. ,n,. frien ' 

Ji-.ed ,n ,„s Offie.a, Organ of .SHk-Cuiture, -eopyri-dUed- and 
^^. Ke:Ki the NOTICE Id rhi.pnnor. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



002 842 923 f 



/ 



— B. Jaeger, Prof, of Zoology, on Catorpiilars. — 

**So easy and amusing \^ the praces.s of growing silk that, it is 
surprising that young pe()})le living in qui country villages do not 
more often engage in i(. Nothing would be easier than to raise silk 
from the proceeds of which each individual might realize a hand- 
some salary. But to say nothing of pecuniarj'advantage, the en- 
nol)ling nature of the employment ought to he ample compensation 
for all the care their culture requires, "certainly a sulHcient remune- 
ration for so many otherwise idle or misspent hours.** 






ss 



002 



^42 923' i^ 



Hollinger Corp. 

pHas 



